Cold Black Days
by Chocolate Boy
Summary: Damon wanted to sleep with her. Stefan wanted her help. Elena wanted her to not get involved with either Salvatore. All Lea James wanted to do was graduate. OC/SalvatoreBrothers/Elena. Love Square.
1. Damon Salvatore Is Such a Hot Douche!

**Don't ask me how, don't ask me why, but somehow, my love for Damon Salvatore (season one Damon) has rekindled itself along with a new love for his younger bro, Stefan. Wanted to make a love square involving the Salvatores, Elena and an OC, but just didn't have the heart to have an OC take Lea's place. For those who don't know (a lot probably don't) Lea is my OC from my oooold Damon/OC fic that I disbanded. This is completely new and has nothing to do with that one so you don't have to read it. For those who have, some of the dialogue you read will sound very familiar because some lines are recycled. **

**Anyway, this is all post season 3 and stars an exiled Damon, a recovering Stefan, a freshly turned Elena, and a pissed off Lea. None of that I'm-a-new-girl-in-town crap. I've done that, ain't going down that road anymore. It's boring to me.**

**P.S. I wasn't going to update until I was absolutely finished writing this story, I'm about five chapters in right now so I broke my vow early on. I gotta know what you all think about this and if I'm wasting my time. **

**P.P.S. These chapter names are probably gonna always sound odd. The person who's POV it's in will usually be assigning the chapter names. **

**Chapter 1 - Damon Salvatore Is Such a Hot Douche! **

**C . B . D**

Waiting up worried sick for your twenty two year old sister to come back home ain't fun. Not at all. Especially when it's three in the morning and you have a killer AP Biology test in the next seven hours. And then to top it all off your sister is out with Damon Salvatore, the biggest dick in Mystic Falls. And _theeeeeeeen, _it wasn't even the fact that Damon was an asshole, it was him being a vampire that was unsettling.

Hell hath no fury like a vampire scorned. Elena choosing Stefan before she was turned into a vampire and even afterwards had Damon all fucked up.

Surprise surprise, I knew about there being vampires in Mystic Falls. That's what happens when you're a founding family member and your parents didn't want to keep it a secret from you like all the other members. Shit comes with some serious perks.

And then there was the fact that not too long ago I was a part of Elena & Co. But that was until I withdrew myself from that doomed group. Elena the Martyr and Stefan the Saint could go sit in the Sun and fry together for all I care.

The thought of venturing out into that good night and searching for them myself was seriously a possibility. In fact, I'd made it outside a couple of times and even got as far as inside my broken down Honda before turning around and pussying out. I wasn't gonna risk humiliating my sister and proving that I didn't have any trust in her judgment. Instead, I'd put my trust in her. And reluctantly Damon who had proven time and time again that trusting him wasn't a smart move.

This was hard. Real hard. Damon was reckless and so was Liv. Well, it wasn't that my sister was reckless as she was easy, and I know that that's messed up to call your sister easy but it was the truth. Breathing air was harder than getting some from her. Like all you had to do was buy her dinner and her legs magically divided. So you see here's the equation we're dealing with.

The biggest dick in Mystic Falls + The easiest fuck in Mystic Falls = Disaster.

Now include me into the equation and this is what you get.

The biggest dick in Mystic Falls + The easiest fuck in Mystic Falls + The biggest badass in Mystic Falls = Goddamn Catastrophe.

And for the record, I'm actually not the biggest badass in town, but I like to think so every now and then. Doesn't hurt.

Commotion coming from outside the back door woke me up from my stupor. Or whatever it was that Fifty Shades of Boring put me in as I tried reading it. Should've known not to trust Liv's reading recommendations. Though I had to admit, it was better than Twilight, which was a big pile of shit wrapped in a decent book cover. Literature these days...

Tossing the book aside, I scrambled from the landing step to the back door, trudging through the dimly house. This had to be those two and I'd catch them red handed. Play these type of games with me and stay out way past Liv's curfew. Yup, I said it, I gave Liv a curfew. Mom and dad ain't try to stop her so I did. Pssh, they knew what went bump in the night. We all did. So why was it that they weren't doing anything to stop her? Was I the only one who gave any kind of fucks?

Grabbing a hold of the brass doorknob, I swung it open, not caring if I may have interrupted their little session. Which of course, I did. There the two were, making out like it they were hormonal teenagers and not grown ass adults. Dude, I'm sure they had plenty of time to play kissy face and do a lot more risque stuff while they were out together, was the tonsil hockey really needed now?

I cleared my throat, prompting Liv to quickly remove herself from Damon after letting out a high pitched squeal of fright. Within seconds of seeing me, her almond shaped brown eyes grew twice their size and she raced inside the house, murmuring both goodbyes to Damon and apologies to me before taking cover in her bedroom upstairs. I embarrassed her. Good. And I'd scold her later. That'll teach her to stay out all night, not return my calls or texts, and have fun with a vampire.

But Damon, Damon didn't care at all that I cut his game of touchy feely short. It was quite the opposite. He looked amused, pinkish lips tugging into that god-awful smirk of his he knew I hated. The smirk alone made me want to slap him. But that desire would be put on hold knowing that he could kill me within seconds if he wanted to. Yeah right, if he tried his ass was grass. He'd have so many council members to answer to. Not to mention my grandma.

So I guess I _could_ slap him if I wanted to. He wouldn't be able to do a thing if he valued his life.

With that in mind, I joined him outside closing the door behind me as I stepped into the frigid December air. Shit it was cold. Winter was terrible. It was one of those dry air type of nights. The type where frost and ice coated your lungs, making it hard for you to breathe. Plus I was wearing a skimpy pair of Hello Kitty pajamas so that didn't help either.

Yup, Hello Kitty PJs. Don't judge me.

"Lea, it's great seeing you again." His tone was light and mocking, knowing full and well that there was nothing great with having to see me. As if we didn't already have a muffed up history and I swore to never deal with Gilberts or Originals or Salvatores or doppelgangers ever again.

"Fuck off, Damon," was my response. But to be perfectly fair, my tone was just as sweet and condescending as his.

He frowned. But I knew better than to actually think that he was upset. Damon had no emotions. None unless it was in regards to Elena. "I guess the feeling isn't reciprocated."

"Nope. I fucking hate you and you know that."

"Can't say that I care though. What's this about?" He squinted his blue eyes at me that were more icy than the snow layering the ground. "I know, you're here to confess that you secretly want me."

"In your dreams, Salvatore."

"No. But I could always project them into yours."

Only because of his silly vampire magick tricks. Guess he didn't know I was fully capable of doing the same thing right back on to him. Ten fold. I'd give him nightmares where Katherine choose Stefan over and over. If only I was that cruel.

"Is that before or after I shove vervain down your throat?"

He sighed, hand rubbing my head like a good little dog before I swatted it away. You don't touch a black woman's hair. Like ever. "Lea, Lea, Lea, you know I love it when you're acting all big and bad. As if you actually could stand a chance against me."

I shoved him, noticing that he didn't move backwards and it was me that did, proving his point that I was waaaaay weaker than him. Physically that is. And I tried to do it again, but he quickly sidestepped me. Yeah, and he was faster too. But you know what? I didn't care. It wasn't that hare that won the race now was it? That turtle was a resilient bastard.

He gave another smirk, and this time he ran a pale hand through his black hair he wore in a messy style that dropped right past his earlobes. Damon was hot. Yeah I admit it. Liv might've been a hoe, but she was beautiful enough to snag all the hot guys. Never did she bring home anyone less than a ten. But Damon? He was the sexiest of them all. Not the mysterious kind of sexy. Or Brad Pitt kind of sexy. He was one of those I-Wanna-Do-Bad-Things-With-You type of sexy. But that could've been just because I watched a little too much True Blood. Eric Northman was currently my make believe boyfriend.

Regardless of Damon being sex on a stick. He irked me. In every way imaginable. The way he looked at people. The way he spoke. The way his cheeks were unnaturally rosy in Winter. How could that happen if he was a vampire? Either way, I couldn't stand the guy to say the least.

"I hate you."

"Hate is only a prelude to love."

I rolled my eyes. "Hate is only a prelude to a fist kiss."

"Any kiss from you is amazing. I know first hand."

He just had to bring that up. The one moment of weakness I had where I allowed him to kiss me. Why was he trying to use that as a weapon against me? Did he not forget what happened afterwards? I knocked him silly.

UGH! He had a smart remark for everything. Dammit. I was the smart ass. Not him. That was my title and he stole it. I'd get it back. Rest assured.

"You see, this is why I can't stand you and can see through your bullshit. You claim to like my sister sooo much, but in the next breath you'll flirt with me or pine after Elena."

A genuine frown formed with the mentioning of Elena. Yup. Damon's one true weakness after that slut Katherine. He thought I forgot about how damaged he was after he found out she wasn't in the tomb and I had to comfort him? Or how much he raged against the machine when both doppelgangers rejected him and I was there to pick up the pieces? Nope. I never forget.

"How's Elena doing by the way? How's she handling being a vampire?" I wish I could've talked to her about it. But I couldn't. Nope. Not after everything that happened. Not after seeing what happens when you get involved with Elena or the Salvatores. People die and get hurt. Bonnie and Caroline were walking proof. So was Jeremy who constantly defied the laws of life and death. Actually, we all had. No one was normal anymore. With the exception of Matt, everyone in our secret circle, which was now highly disfigured, all belonged to a supe group.

"You'd know if you weren't acting like such a coward and visited her once and a while."

I shrugged him off. "You call it being a coward, I call it being smart. Dealing with you guys ends up with everyone getting hurt except the one we're protecting." What type of irony was that? A real fucked up kind.

"Elena hasn't exactly walked down the yellow brick road either. She was turned into a vampire, Lea."

"Exactly. That was your plan from the get go. A plan, might I add, that I agreed with. But _nooooooo_, stupid Elena couldn't do that and instead got more people killed just to have what we wanted happen in the end anyway. People's lives lost for naught. Tis bullshit."

This may have been harsh to think, but Elena allowing Damon to turn her would've been less painful than drowning. And it would've saved us a lot of trouble. Look at us all now. Caroline was still trying to fight off her attraction to Klaus whilst keeping Tyler; Jeremy didn't know who to trust after that Damon-compelling-him scheme; Matt was trying to sort himself out and figure out what he was going to do as far as college and football; And Bonnie, who to me had it the worst, was currently following my plan. Not be bothered with anyone. Sure, she and I had spoken a few times, but for the most part, we kept our distance. We needed time a part. All of us did.

It's just that it's kind of awkward sitting in classes with three other girls you no longer speak to. Then forcing yourself to partner up with Kate the Hot Dog Skinner rather than the girls who used to know you best when group projects came around.

"What can I say, no one wants to be the bad buy even if it means keeping someone safe. They like trying ''rational'' options."

"You should've tried coaxing her in a different way. You're so in love with her that you were gonna take her choice away. Had you discussed it with her like a gentlemen, it may have turned out differently. Girls love choices. Especially Elena. Let her think she's in control... why am I saying this to you?. I'm done with this, I'm done with that group, and I'm done with you."

"If that's what you say," he said, like staying away from him was soooo hard. Like he had a magnetic pull over me. Not likely. Every time we spoke it was him seeking out me. And even if I wanted to talk to him, he was nowhere to be found during the day. Like he'd just disappeared from out of Mystic Falls completely. The only time I saw Damon was at the ass crack of dawn.

"That's what I know. And stay the fuck away from my sister."

"If I don't?"

"Don't act like you're not fully aware of my capabilities, Damon. We're not friends. Nor have we ever been during the years I've known you. Plus you know I'm family first. I'm serious. Stay away from my sister before I have to get involved."

Eyebrow raising, Damon gave a quick chuckled before shaking his head at me tauntingly. "Lea, I didn't know you were so kinky. We should've talked about this way sooner."

That's it! I was fed up and couldn't take anymore of his rude outlandish behavior. I balled my fist, aiming it square dead at his jaw in the hopes that I'd knock it off. Sadly, my punch hit nothing but air and missed opportunities.

Not having a chance to react to me stumbling forward from the non-punch, my body met something all together different. Damon seized my arm, yanking my over to him with no care that he may have dislocated my shoulder. I crashed into him. Face landing into his chest, taking in how he smelled like sex and spices. Like sin and long carnal nights. Yumsies.

I tried fighting against him but as his hands snaked around my waist and his lips dipped down towards my ear. No matter how much I tried to put up a fight, my body froze with the feeling of his lips brushing against the shell of my ear. It were as if he was about to spill a deadly secret and I was the only one to know of it. Shit. And I was letting it all get to me. But I couldn't feel my heart beating violently so that was good. And my breath wasn't hitched or anything so I knew that he'd have to try a little harder to sense what I was feeling.

Bet he had a better clue than I did.

"I'm not too fond of you either. So know that if I wanted to murder your sister, your mom, your dad, and your ugly dog all while you watched helplessly, I would."

If it was one thing I learned about Damon, it was that he wasn't the monster he tried to make himself out to be. Maybe decades ago he might've been serious, but now, he was just trying to use those threats as a scare tactic. He didn't exude evilness. Sure, I could sense that deep down it was there, but it would take some serious coaxing for it to come out. He was being good. "Oh Damon, you and your empty threats. Isn't that all this town is filled with? Empty threats. Everyone always talks a big game and then uses Bonnie or myself to do the work. And if I have to hear someone use that tired, "I'm gonna kill your entire family." line again, I'm gonna scream. Let's think of more creative things now shall we? Something not cliché."

I could get use to him pressing against me. He was shielding me from the cold now. Yeah! Time to steal all his warmth!

"How about me draining you dry right here?"

I exhaled, giving a few seconds before I responded. As if I really had pondered his words and their weight. "Again. Cliché. And let go, your leather is starting to stick to me."

"Don't pretend as if you're not enjoying this." He stepped a little closer to me and I naturally pulled him to me. Dammit. I wasn't supposed to do that. It just kind of happened. Along with the smirk I could feel Damon's lips growing into. "You're trying to steal my warmth right now."

Plan figured out! Retreat! Retreat! "Don't pretend as if you're still not trying to get into Elena's panties."

"I'm sure yours are far better."

Duh.

"How's she working out with Stefan?"

"Like I know... or really care." He sounded spiteful. The thought of those two together must've put him in a serious funk.

"Oooooh, I see what this is. This is your way of lashing out because he didn't get what he wanted. And now you think you're gonna try to use me like you did Andy or Rose or Sage or Rebekah to make Elena jealous. I'm sure that it would hurt Elena more if it were me instead of the other common trash you like to frequent with, you dumpster diver"

"You just described your sister." Oh, that was a good one. Considering that he was completely true and I didn't have a comeback to that. Fuck.

I tried to pick up some scraps and make use of out those. "I'm not available anyway."

"Still with Chris, I see. How is it that he gets just as many girls as I do. I mean look at him and look at me."

He thought I didn't notice how he knew my boyfriend's name. Just because I wasn't gonna acknowledge it didn't mean that I hadn't heard it.

I rolled my eyes. "Well for starters, he's normal, funny, secure, loving, generous-"

"Wimpy, loser, crybaby, average, boring."

"-All the things you're not."

"Thank you."

"That's not what I meant."

"That's what you said."

"You should know already, what you say and what you do are two different things."

"Well my mind and body are both on the same page right about now." He stepped a little closer, allowing me more time to fully feel his rock hard body. Damon made sure to get his body in check before being turned. I ain't blame him. His body was a masterpiece.

This was Damon's sick way of foreplay. Nuh uh. Not with me. This touchy game was now going to end. Now.

"You know what, mine is too. And you want to know what it's saying?" I slid my arms around his waist, standing on my tip toes so my mouth was positioned inches from his. This was also to see if I could smell my sisters blood on his breath, which I didn't.

"Of course," he mumbled, face dipping towards mine to try and kiss me.

Wasn't gonna happen.

Quickly and suddenly, I grabbed a fistful of his hair, yanking the hell out of it. Head snapping backwards to get closer to my hand and dull the pain, Damon grit his teeth and let out a small guttural growl.

"Get the fuck off my porch." I let him go, watching as his hand immediately flew to the back of his head where I'd attacked him.

"Ouch," he sighed, rubbing the spot in an attempt to alleviate the pain. "Someone likes to play rough. Can't say that I mind."

Already he was back to his usual ways. "Goodbye. Damon."

"Well, fine. Couldn't say I didn't try. Guess you really are over all of us."

"Yuuuuuup."

"Guess this really is goodbye."

"Yuuuuuup."

"Guess I really will have to find a way to reel you back in."

"Yuuuuuup... wait a minute. No. No you aren't. I'm not coming back. Stay the hell away from me."

He grinned and a piece of me withered and died. "Nope. It's too late. Plan is already in the works."

Fuck. Damon with his damn plans. And while he wasn't the best at making sure his plans went accordingly, he was _really _persistent. Which meant that he'd be pestering me for a while. Something that I didn't need.

"Enjoy the rest of your night. Well.. morning." Damon walked off leaving me with freezing bones and a bad taste in my mouth.

But he didn't get too far. Not before I stopped him with one last question. "Damon, are you doing this with everybody or just me especially?"

He didn't bother to look back at me, but I could tell from the jouncing of his shoulders that he was laughing. "Just you, Aaliyah. You were always my favorite from the group."

**C . B . D**

**That was chapter one everyone! A lot better than my original Damon/OC story I feel. **

**For any suggestions, comments, critiques, whatever, I'm all up for listening. **

**And for those who are Delena shippers reading this, I apologize for the Elena bashing. **

**And if I continue this, should I incorporate Stefan, Elena, and Damon's POV. The next few chapters are all from Lea's perspective but I'm always able to rewrite or write new material. I aim to please!**


	2. I'm Aaliyah James and I'm a Grinch

**YAY! Got a good response for my story as far as OCs go. I thank all the ones who reviewed for that. You all mean the world to me. **

**And I really didn't want to update yet. I wanted to have more of my story written but I just can't help it. I'm just too eager to see what you all have to say. Especially since this is such a different take on an OC being a part of the Gang. While most become best friends with Elena and everyone else, Lea really wants to be left alone. **

**I think it makes for good tension. **

**Y'all tell me. **

**Stefan in this chapter! This is a love square after all. **

**Chapter 2 - I'm Aaliyah James and I'm a Grinch**

**C . B . D**

"You're not listening to me. Why aren't you listening!" I groaned, shoving my books inside my locker. I was depressed as all get out now. Fuck school.

"I am listening, babe," Chris smiled, showcasing his perfect white teeth. "You bombed your Biology test. I dunno what to tell you. Fuck Biology."

Maybe if I had a chance to study the night before rather than wait up worrying about my sister, I might've done better. Yeah, right. I ain't plan on studying for that test. Twas the most boring class. "You got that right. Biology is for the birds. How'd you do?"

"Me? I aced that shit. Test was easy then a mug."

I frowned. I know I should've been happy for him getting an A, but it just made me feel even more stupid. Not to say that Chris was dumb, he wasn't, he just made everyone around him think he was. The way he talked and the way he had a complete disregard for rules, you would've never guessed he was an honor roll student. He didn't take school seriously and still had better grades than I did. Then again, I didn't take school seriously either.

"At least someone is getting good grades. My report card looks like Kim Kardashian's tit size."

"Daaaaaaaaaaamn," he drew out, covering his mouth with his tattooed hand. What part of his body wasn't tattooed or pierced anymore? Ear gauges, nose ring (though he hardly wore the type of ring that gives you a bulls nose), sleeves on both arms, and he was already starting on his chest and neck. I could only thank God he didn't pull a Gucci Mane and get his face tatted. With an ice cream cone no less. "You got that many D's? How's that even possible?"

"I don't even know. It's all a fluke. The teachers have it out for me." They didn't like me. I don't know what I ever did to them, but they just seemed to dislike me.

"All of 'em?"

"Yes!"

"I dunno, Lea, doesn't seem plausible if you ask me." He looked at me with his sleepy pair of eyes. Everything about Chris was just sleepy. His droopy eyes, the way he drew out words and his voice sounded like he'd just woken up, and how he dressed for comfort and not style. That's what I liked about him though. He was simple and down-to-Earth. No drama. No complications.

"You calling me a liar?"

"A liar? No. A hardcore, top tier, exaggerator? Yeah."

"I don't exaggerate!"

"You're the Optimus Prime example of an exaggerator. Just last week you said you broke your big toe after you stubbed it and had me race over to your house to drive you to the hospital."

That wasn't fair! Stubbing your toe was no joke. Especially when you stub it on your vacuum cleaner that your sister left waiting to kill someone in the hallway. I could've tripped over that and fell down the steps and broke my neck. Then what? Bet my family wouldn't leave hazards in the hallway ever again in life.

"And you didn't even take me to the hospital!"

"Your toe wasn't broken."

"Could've been."

"But it wasn't. I checked your big foot myself."

"Rather have big feet than a big head!"

"You got both."

Slamming my locker shut, I turned to him, giving him a snarl. "You know, I'm too good for you, I don't know why I even stick around."

He wrapped an arm around me, giving me a kiss on my so called big forehead. I had to control my goofy grin. He just thought he could kiss me and make everything better? Well he could, but I'd never let him know that he was too cute for words. "You're right. You could do so much better than me."

Playfully jabbing him in his side, I snuggled myself next to him before we began strolling down the now barren hallway. Wait a minute, weren't the halls supposed to be filled with students chitter chatter right now? This was the time period between classes. Yeah, kids were supposed to be filling the halls.

"Where the fuck is everyone at?"

"You didn't hear the bell ring?"

The bell had already rung? Shit fuck shit! I was late for class. That meant detention. Which was something I wouldn't go to. Which would lead to suspension. Which was cool with me since we were only a few weeks away from Winter Break. Aka hibernation.

"You're screwed," Chris said, subliminally rubbing it in my face that his last class of the day was already over with. Being a Senior was the sex. Chris got out after second period. I got out after third. Which was where I was supposed to be at right now. Psychology. To hell with that class. All them papers the teacher wants us to write. Like bitch, I got a raging case of Senioritis and no matter if I fail or not Imma still graduate so why should I take your class seriously? I don't care about Freud. What he ever do for me?

"Pssh, no I'm not. I'm skipping."

"You serious?"

"Naw, I'm playing around. Of course I'm serious."

He stared at me with his chocolate eyes, giving me a disapproving look. "You know you should go to class."

Aww, he was looking out for my education. How sweet. Too bad I didn't care about school anymore. In a few months, I'd be gone! No more Damon. No more Stefan. No more Mystic Falls. "I could go to class right now, or we can go to your house, play Nintendo, and eat cereal like a pair of bosses." Wasn't nothing like a good bowl of Lucky Charms. I'd find that little Leprechaun one day and kidnap him. Then all the delicious charms would be mine and mine alone.

He pursed his sexy lips, eyes cutting as he pondered the weight of my words. Yeah, bet my ideas of what we could be doing sounded pretty tempting right about now.

"Think of all the fun we could have."

"We playin' Super Mario Bros. 3?"

"No whistles and I call Luigi." Luigi was seriously underrated and was the biggest pimp out of the brothers. Plus, he had the better princess.

He smiled. "And you good for some Froot Loop crispy treats?"

"Hell fucking yeah. But this time I'll help you make 'em. Last time you got your beard hair in it." I tugged at his chin hair, still kind of mad that he refused to shave it off. Trim it? Yeah. It was nice and neat. But he'd never go clean and smooth. The beard and mustache combo made him who he was. Or that's what he said at least. Plus he thought it made him look older. Manlier. I just thought it made him look more like a hobo weedface. Which he kind of was. But he was my hobo weedface.

"Then shit, I'm down. Let's go."

We walked down the halls, taking the longer way to get to the back exit of the school to not risk any teachers or authority figures from spotting me. We had to go low key. Which was harder than you'd think. Especially since we naturally drew attention to ourselves. What with Chris being six foot four and looking how he looked and me dying my hair blonde. I kind of looked like a lion because of it. So yeah, we stood out. Plus there weren't that many black kids in Mystic Falls. This town wasn't that diverse in terms of skin color.

But we made it. We snuck out the school and entered the blizzard that was Mystic Falls in December. Snow storming onto the ground blurred my vision. Even Chris' vinyl red classic muscle car looked like a red blob. Winter sucked balls. This black girl just didn't like the cold. And Chris was a weirdo or something because this was his favorite time of year. Even now, with him hugging me while we walked, he was busy catching mobile sized snowflakes on his tongue. Snowflakes shouldn't have been this huge. It was against nature or something. They were just scary.

"Aaliyah, I need to talk to you."

Chris and I immediately stopped walking with sound of my name, my full name, being called. It wasn't even that that had me stopping in my tracks. It was the person who was doing the name calling. That voice was reconizable anywhere. Stefan Salvatore. The younger brother of the biggest dick in town. Though Stefan wasn't exempt. He has his own title too. He was the biggest boy scout in town because he constantly wanted to do good. Well, that was before his little ripper stunt, but his ripper days were long gone. After Elena turning, the two decided to binge and remodel themselves together. Stefan was back to his old self. More or less. I wouldn't know. He still could've been bad. Just trying uber hard to conceal it.

"I'm kind of busy." I didn't bother turning to look at him.

"Please. I need your help."

"Can't it wait?" I asked, hoping the answer was yes. That way, I could put him off and pretend I "forgot" about him and his issues after a week had passed.

"I'm sorry, it can't."

Tough titty. "Really busy right now." Busy about to school Chris in some Mario and eat some tasty treats.

"Go on and help him, Lea. We can chill later," Chris whispered, being a hell of a lot more understanding than I would've been in his position.

"But I don't wanna chill later. I wanna chill now."

"Help him out and then I'm all yours." Moving himself off me and heading to his car, Chris turned around to give Stefan and I a wave goodbye. "Later you two."

No! Don't go! I don't want to be here with him! Save me. Save meeeee!

Cocking my head in Stefan's direction, I gave him the glare of all glares. A glare that was so vicious, I was sure he'd catch into flames. Sadly, I wasn't a witch. Close, but no cigar. Wasn't possible in my case.

"What. The fuck. Do you want," I grit, taking in how Stefan's demeanor never change. Still that stoic face. A boulder showed more emotion. "And it better be good to ruin my day."

"I'm sorry to ruin your day. Even if you should be in class right now."

"Don't do that. Don't judge me. You're supposed to be in class too. We have it together, remember?"

I still didn't understand why he went to school. He was older than the building. To hell with that. Vampires shouldn't go to high school. I know I wouldn't if it were me. There wasn't a point unless you planned to prey on innocent kids. And if you weren't, it was kind of gross. Really, if you were there to prey on kids, you were gross too.

"Yeah but a little compulsion goes a long way. How're you getting away with this?"

Just that comment alone lead me to come to the conclusion that Stefan still had a bit of his ripper ways left inside of him. Probably would never go away either. Good boy Stefan didn't use compulsion to get what he wanted. And good boy Stefan definitely didn't use that dry and condescending tone. That was Damon's schtick.

"I'm doing what normal high schoolers do; skipping and praying no one notices. You're not a normal high schooler so you get to cut corners."

Stefan pretended to actually listen to my words before waving them off. "You're not normal either. No matter how hard to try to pretend otherwise. You're choosing to try to fit in and act normally. I would know. I used to be the same way."

How dare he try to use my being a voodoo practitioner against me. Trying to use my bloodline as an insult. Being a voodooist was just as normal as being a witch. Were Bonnie and I just as normal as these other High Schoolers? No. But we were more normal than fucking Stefan or Damon or the other vampires infesting the town. Fucking fangers.

Again...True Blood reference. I had to stop. Especially with the latest season being done.

"Where's Elena at? She know about you still compelling innocent humans? Is this something you both do together?"

Stefan closed the distance between us, making his blurry form more visible. Damn, I forgot how handsome he was. We may have been in the same Psychology class but I ignored him more than Republicans ignored poor people. Now, he was too close for comfort and I could make out the strong contours of his jawline. And his straight nose. And the hard line his eyebrows formed. Stefan, while bearing some resemblance to his older brother, was a different kind of gorgeous than Damon was. Damon was just fucking alluring. I mean you couldn't help but be drawn to him. That and back in the day, before he became pussy whipped, he was cool as shit. Stefan was one of those sexy guys who just seemed so intimidating. Like you swooned over them from afar but never talked to them because they seemed like kind of a dick. Funny enough, after meeting them and getting caught in a whirlpool of drama, I realized that Damon was actually the dick and Stefan was the good guy. Now... they were both just assholes.

What a long way we've come.

"Why don't you ask her yourself?" God, didn't Damon tell me the same thing? These two really were brothers.

I crossed my arms, trying to seal in some heat. I only had on a stupid hoodie and I was already missing Chris' arms wrapped around me. It was cold as shit out here. "Because I just can't, Stefan. I hardly want to talk to you right now. I don't want to be bothered."

"She needs you, Lea. She needs someone to talk to." Stefan's concern over his girlfriend was endearing. However, given our relationship and history, I couldn't feel any sympathy. It was cold, but Elena brought this on herself. We all had to take ownership for the shit that's happened. And while I blame Elena for a lot of things, a great deal of strife I put on myself. Namely my sister turning into a vampire whore. First the Originals, now Damon. That was my fault entirely.

I closed my eyes, wishing Stefan would magically disappear. And I knew that if I had tried hard enough, it would've happened. "She has Caroline. They can go through this whole freshly turned thing together." Now Caroline wasn't the only baby vamp in town. I know she was excited about that.

"Do you honestly believe Caroline is the one who she needs to get through this? She feels like an outsider. A freak. At least if you or Bonnie were there for her it would ease her into feeling more normal."

"I thought you said we shouldn't try to be normal."

"That's me. I've dealt with this for over a century, Elena's new to this. I can't believe you all have turned your back on her."

That wasn't fair. "You can't even see it from our perspective can you? We were ready to die for her, Stefan, we all were. And we stopped her from handing herself over, from killing herself, from turning into a vampire. But look at what happened, she turned into one fucking anyway. All we went through was for bullshit. You can't see how that would make me feel fed up? You guys killed Bonnie's mom and got me tortured for what? Shits and giggles. And you all expect me to feel sorry for her. What the fuck about me?"

Maybe our heated conversation would protect me from the cold.

"She didn't want this and didn't ask for it. But she's been doing terribly lately and is sorry."

"Great. She's sorry. I understand that. I've accepted it. But I've moved on. Or at least I'm trying to. You all won't let me close this chapter of my life and start a new one. Leave me the fuck alone."

There was a pause and Stefan really studied me. Really took me in. Not just how I look, but my character. He was analyzing me. Judging me. Now that, that would make be feel badly.

Eyeing me down with his sage colored eyes, he shook his head disappointingly. "How is it that Elena's a vampire, yet she still has a bigger heart than you do?"

"Well that's why you're fucking her and not me right? That's why she's your girlfriend. Because her heart is oh so big and my heart is the size of the Grinch's." I ain't mind being a Grinch. It was appropriate since Christmas was just around the corner. "Oh, lest we forget how she was the one who moved on to Damon during your ripper days. The whole reason you became one was to save them and she repays you by sucking face with your brother. You know what, you're right, she does have the bigger heart." While I looked for ways to actually save Stefan, Elena was busy making out with Damon and leading both of them along. Can you see why I didn't want to be bothered?

And my comment obviously hurt Stefan. His eyes reduced to slits and his jaw clenched tightly. Of course mentioning how Elena was so close to choosing Damon put a bad taste in his mouth. Now that, that would make me feel badly. Stefan was always looking out for everyone. Unlike Damon who's main concern was keeping Elena safe, Stefan wanted everyone to come out unscathed. Though he soon found out that wasn't possible, we always had each other's back though. And now I was throwing low blows and bickering with him. I was really being a bitch. Fuck.

I took him by the hand, noticing the slight flinch he gave as I did so. Oh how I'd forgotten that he didn't like being suddenly touched. Especially during his ripper days.

"I'm sorry, Stefan. I really am. We've all been going through so much shit, trying to make sure that Elena is okay, that we've been overlooking each other. I know no one else has asked you, shit, maybe they don't care, but are you okay? How have you been doing?"

Something grim washed over his face before it faded into the downpour of snow. A hollowness. Emptiness. I could sense it. He just emitted something lonely and desperate. Something colder than the horrid weather we were standing in. The rawest form of helplessness. He didn't think he was redeemable nor worth saving, but he never pitied himself. He thought he deserved every bit of anguish. It radiated from his skin and I could feel it sink in to my skin and settle inside of me. But rather than toss his hand aside like how I wanted to to rid myself of that kind of emotional pain, I tightened my hand over his. He need consoling.

"You're not are you? God dammit."

"I'll be fine, Lea. I can deal with what I'm going through by myself."

Stefan, always trying to seem like a pillar of strength. Putting others needs before his own. Always making sure everyone else was okay and thinking of himself last. How could he be so selfless yet his brother be so selfish?

"Does Elena know?"

"No. And you're not going to talk to her about this," he snapped, very intent on me keeping his well being a secret.

And I was. I wasn't a snitch. I just felt terribly. Everyone needed someone to be there for them to get through tough times. Elena had Caroline. Damon was using my sister to my chagrin. Bonnie had Jeremy. Matt and Tyler had reconciled their friendship. But who had Stefan's back? And who had my back? Guess it was only us two on our own. "I wouldn't dare tell a soul."

"Thank you."

"But I am gonna help you with that."

He took his hand from mine. Yeah, we were kind of holding hands for too long. "No you're not."

"Just you see. I'll have you back to your old self in no time."

"Please, Lea," he reinforced. "I don't need your help."

"Yes you do. That's why I'm out here in this freezing weather, just waiting to get caught by a teacher."

Without a seconds thought, Stefan removed his dark wool coat and slipped it onto my arms. He was a giver and right now was making sure I was warm and toasty. And that's exactly what his jacket was. It was big on me, but it was a thoughtful gesture none the less. I appreciated it.

"I need your help with something else. Not with my problems."

"Guess I'm helping you with both. But what's the first thing you need help with."

"Come check out something with me."

Why would I need to check out anything with him? We weren't newlyweds in search of a house.

"Why Stefan, this is all so sudden. What ever do you want me to check out with you?" I made my voice sound like one of those Southern Belles. Like I was from Bon Temps. Boy did they have vampires ass backwards.

Except if I ever found Eric Northman; he was surely mine.

Stefan gave a quick smile. He never seemed to smile lately. "Your off kilter humor has been missed. But I don't think you'll have a chance to make jokes once I take you to this place."

Time to be serious. "Where are we going?"

"Alaric's grave."

**C . B . D**

**I rearranged a bit of the history that they all went through before this story starts. Damon and Elena got a lot more heavy than in the show. **

**Oh and Klaus isn't in Tyler's body. That's just a stupid plot line. **

**RIght now, all is calm in Mystic Falls. Everyone is living in agreement to not start shit. **

**Wonder why they need to check out Alaric's grave. **

**And who're you diggin' more... Damon/Lea or Stefan/Lea. **

**Tata for now. **


	3. I'm the Salvatore's Second Favorite!

**Thank you to everyone who left me feedback. Whether it was in the form of a review, alert, or favorite. I greatly appreciate it. **

**Back with another update. Hope this satisfies you all. Was a tough chapter to write. Especially since Stefan is stuck in limbo between Ripper Stef and Good Stef. That can't be easy. **

**Chapter 3 – I'm the Salvatore's second favorite! **

**C . B . D **

Graveyards were never fun. Fun and graveyard were two words that just didn't mix. But for a voodooist like me, they were hell. Complete and utter torture. I literally felt dead. Not vampire dead. Dead dead. My limbs felt stiff, my body was numb to everything, and the undercurrents of rot and decomposing flesh whispered faintly beneath the crisp smell of freshly fallen snow that coated the mass amount of land and graves. It must've been worse for Stefan what with his high sense of smell and what not.

"You get used to it." He gave me a nudge. I guess he noticed how horrible this experience was for me and could relate.

But it wasn't just that. Being able to faintly hear and feel the dead wasn't no joke. This place was filled to the very brim with spirits. Some furious, some sad, some frightened. None however, were happy. Those souls had gone to a higher plain. These were stuck in limbo until they found their way. Left to wander about the tombs, the lucky ones escaped into Mystic Falls until they came to terms with their death. What was sad was that most of them never did. They'd be stuck here for eternity, or until the apocalypse if you believed in that sort of thing, seeing us but us never being able to see them. Trying to communicate to those who just weren't able to talk back. Unless you were Jeremy or something. But I didn't know if Jeremy was helping these lost souls as of late. I sure hope so.

Hell had to have been better than that kind of fate. To be stuck with no form of communication yet still being able to watch the world pass you by, the seasons change, and the land you were buried in grow more populated was the worst torture I could think of. And for me to not be able to help them was what made me feel worse. I couldn't give them even a push into the right direction. No. They had to find it on their own.

"Lea, you keeping up?" Stefan looked back at my shell of a body and his brows furrowed. I was trying to move alongside with him but the deeper and deeper we traveled into the heart of the cemetery, the more and more my body slowed down, as if there were an imaginary force weighing my body down and rendering me incapable of movement. Had I tried to do this alone, I probably would've been stuck here, left to become Lea the Snowgirl. That wouldn't have been fun. I wouldn't have even had one of those cute carrot noses either.

What was going on was abnormal to say the least. Not being able to move was a first. It was like trying to walk through quicksand. The more you moved, the harder it became. Nuh uh, something about this damn sure wasn't right.

Something didn't want me here. Something was trying to keep me out. This was their turf and didn't want me to be a part of it.

Well boo hoo.

I'd dealt with worse. Whoever had put this spell on the area was slight work.

"I can't move," I cried, looking at him with a pair of pity-me eyes. If I couldn't move. I couldn't help. "You gotta carry me, dude."

"You sure you're not doing that just to get me to touch you?" A joke from Stefan... and a flirtatious one at that. While I was glad he still had a sense of humor, now wasn't really the time to joke.

"You're becoming more like Damon with every passing second."

Another jaw clench with the mention of his brother's name. Wow. They still had unresolved issues.

"Thanks for warning me, I'll make sure it doesn't happen again." Stefan shrugged, moving back over to my side. I expected him to turn his back to me so he could give me a piggy back ride, hell I even expected him to carry me bridal style, but no, he did none of those. Instead, he hoisted me over his shoulder, arm latching right beneath my ass, and without a warning, he sped off. It had been a while since I'd last traveled at a vampire's speed and I still wasn't used to it. It was sickening. The swoosh and blurs of color that came and passed around me, the wind whipping through my hair, and the lack of air traveling to my stomach that made me want to hurl. I didn't know how vampire's could take it. It was horrible.

Tugging me off his shoulder, Stefan didn't bother to control his smirk as he took in my body wobbling and getting used to being back on land. But I didn't fall! Lea's wobbled but they don't fall down.

"You alright?"

I didn't take the time to figure out if he was taunting me or really concerned.

"You could've warned me."

He nodded. "You're right."

"You did that on purpose then?"

Pointing to my head, Stefan gave a half smirk. Well damn, I didn't know whose smirk was more stomach knotting; Stef's or Damon's. Both were at about a tie right now."Fix your hair."

I tried to lift my arms to my head, still noting how Stefan didn't answer my question. Dammit, my arms weighed a ton. I couldn't even get them up to my shoulders. What kind of witchcraft was this? "Do you think you could help me? I know you're not Vidal Sassoon but do you think you could manage?"

He chuckled so softly I almost didn't hear it. It was good seeing him laugh. "Too soon, Lea. Too soon."

Pushing my arms down to my side, Stefan picked at my hair, making sure each strand was back in it's rightful place. "You dyed your hair again."

I smiled, shifting my eyes from his neck (thank you height difference) to his eyes that were busy looking at my hair than my own. "You noticed!"

"How couldn't I? It's a normal color this time. Last time it was blue."

A beautiful and vibrant electric blue.

"Everyone hated it." Especially Damon who called me a troll doll.

He shook his head. "I never did. Thought you were brave for doing something different."

I almost melted on the inside. That was sweet of him. "Really?"

"Yeah. And if it makes any difference, no one else in town could've pulled it off but you."

That's because no one in town had the balls. While every other girl was trying to be an America's Next Top Model reject, I just wanted to experiment with new things. And I got crazy looks for it too. It's hard getting a part time job with funky blue hair. "Next time I'll let you pick the color."

"How about green. My favorite color."

I nodded, or at least tried to. "Green it is."

His hands smoothed the last parts of my hair, traveling along with the strands until they met either side of my face and cupped my cheeks, fingers delicately skimming over my flesh. I didn't know if he did this intentionally or not, but it didn't matter, a rush of adrenaline strummed inside me as he did so. Why were his hands warm? Weren't vampires cold? He must've been drinking a lot lately. And why did my body tell me to dip my head into his fingers and further the caress? Dude, I had a boyfriend. I shouldn't have wanted to do that. That was fucked up on my part. I was just looking into this a little too hard.

I let out a breath, watching clouds form as I did so. "You wanna turn around and show me what I need to check out?"

Stefan's fingers yanked from my face and he shoved them into the pockets of his worn jeans that fit him oh so perfectly. Dude, I had to stop checking him out. He gave me one compliment and already I was gawking at him. I was pathetic.

He cleared his throat. "Someone put something strange by Alaric's grave and it seemed like it was right up your alley."

Turning me around to face the tomb, the first thing I noticed was the marbled headstone that was engraved with Alaric's name. I hadn't been here since his funeral. It rained hard that day. I remember because that no one could tell that I'd been crying. Man, I fucking missed Ric. Not only was he the most badass teacher in the entire universe, never to be replaced, but he kind of was the glue that kept us all together. He played second dad to all of us. Even Stefan and Damon. Without him... we all fucking crumbled. He would've been ashamed of us. We weren't doing him proud. Not one bit.

"Do you need a minute?" Stefan comforted, glancing at me with concerned eyes. He reached his hand out to touch my shoulder, fingers barely making it before I shook my head. "I miss him too."

I blinked at my tears, praying they didn't fall. I didn't cry. I just didn't. There were no tears in baseball and there were no tears in this game we were all playing. As muffed up as it was.

"I'm alright. Nose is running though." I sniffed, playing it off like it was me getting a cold out here.

"Better go catch it."

"Really, Stef, anytime you try to make a joke it's never funny. Never."

"Shut up and take a look at what's by his grave."

I scoped out his grave and saw nothing out of the normal until sure enough, hidden beneath layers of snow, I spotted a dull golden lid. It was worn and old looking due do sitting out in the harsh precipitation. Who knew how long the lid (which I'm assuming is covering a jar) had been out here?

"Stef, do me a favor and dig the jar out of the snow."

Stefan, being the good worker bee he was, did exactly as he was told and knocked away the snow, revealing exactly what I thought it was. A mason jar. A mason jar filled with what looked like herbs and dirt. Only I couldn't fully examine it standing this far away and I wouldn't be able to since I couldn't bend over.

"I came here-"

"DON'T PICK IT UP!" I had to scream at Stefan whilst he went to grab the jar.

He froze, tilting his head in my direction so I could get a good look at his startled face.

I did kind of scream loudly. Loud enough to hear a few birds screech and fly out the trees they were in.

"We don't know why that fucking jar's here. Or who put it there. Picking it up may upset a spell or nature's balance." We didn't know if there was a hex in there. Had it been, if we were to pick it up without using something as equivalent exchange, we would've fallen prey to the spell. Though I doubted it was a hex in there, better safe than sorry. I wasn't in the mood to play risk.

He still stared at me. "Sorry."

"Geeze, didn't anyone ever tell ya, 'Don't touch things that don't belong to you?'"

"If it makes any sort of difference, I kind of picked it up when I saw it here yesterday."

If I could've rubbed my hands over my face I would've. "Oh fuck me. Dammit, Stefan. Please tell me you didn't open it."

"Now I'm not that stupid."

Only somewhat then. "Well that's most certainly not normal. My guess is that either a witch or voodooist did it."

"I already expected that."

Mhm... I knew what this was all about. I knew what he wanted "help" with. Just another time for me to get used. Though since it was Stefan, I surprisingly didn't mind.

"I bet you want me to open up the jar and tell you what the contents inside it mean, huh."

"It would really help me out."

"Does anyone else know about this?"

"Just me and you."

"And why didn't you go to Bonnie for this? She could help just as much as me."

Stefan didn't bother to answer me and instead let silence do all the talking. Seconds came and drifted away until soon enough he allowed us to stand in a stupid silence. I was eyeing him and he was eyeing me. Neither one of us wanting to talk.

Of course I did first. "I'm not helping until you give me an honest answer."

He ran his hand over the back of his neck, gaze shifting anywhere but my own. "I was gonna say it was because Bonnie hasn't been speaking to me since Elena turned, and while that might be the truth, the real reason is because I like you more."

Oh. Well then... wasn't expecting that answer. Which was similar to the answer Damon gave me last night when I asked him was he bothering everyone from the group or just me. Seems like I was the favorite of each brother. You know, right after Elena. Either way, it made me feel good to know that they were looking out for me after her. Silver ain't bad when your life is on the line. That means that after making sure Elena was okay, I was the Salvatore's next priority.

"Flattery goes a long way."

Giving a slight nod, Stefan's lips twitched as if they wanted to form a smile but he wasn't allowing himself too. "So I've heard."

"Fine, I'll open this and see if I can recognize anything inside."

He tried to give me an adorable smile to make everything better. And while it was adorable, it ain't make shit better. One because I knew it was forced. Two because I knew it was only because I was doing something for him.

"Please and thank you."

"Oh don't thank me now, my prices aren't cheap."

Yeah, that made his phony smile fade. "You're charging me?"

"HYFR my dude. We're no longer doing this to save Elena. You came to me with a problem that requires my assistance, and this is gonna probably take about two or three hours to figure out what's inside that jar and what it means. So Imma have to charge you at least a grand,"

"A grand?"

"Yeah. And with every person you bring over my house tomorrow night, that's another grand. You shouldn't be complaining, you're loaded. And this is hard and stressful on me."

"Fine," Stefan complied, knowing that if he tried to bargain I'd only raise my prices. We'd been through something similar to this before. "But why tomorrow, why not now?"

I smirked. "For various reasons. Because I'm lazy and just don't want to right now. Because before we even think about touching that jar, _again _thanks to you, I have to create an entirely different jar of herbs as a trade. Because I really want to go to Chris' to play Nintendo with him."

"I thought that was something only we did." He seemed a little bitter that I moved on from playing video games with him and to Chris. That was one of the first things that started my friendship with Stefan. I went into his room and saw a Nintendo and a shitload of games just lying around. We spent the next day locked in his room playing games and the rest was history. Good times.

"Not trying to be rude or nothing, Stef, but you're just too fucking good. It ain't fun playing with someone knows all the secrets to every game and can beat Zelda without a map." Which is goddamn impossible. Or so I thought. I ended up owing him money because I bet him he couldn't beat it.

"You still owe me-"

"I know. I'm still three bagillion dollars in debt."

"Three bagillion and two cents."

Screw him. "Shut up."

"You were just mad I was always better."

"Duh. Who likes playing games with someone who's too beast?"

"We had fun and you know it."

Dammit. We did. We had a lot of fun. And it was actually pretty amazing how he could beat an entire game of Mario without losing a life. It was even more hilarious when we played Mario Bros 3 and while he excelled, I kind of dragged our team. But to be fair, I ain't have decades of practice like he did.

"You think you could take me to Chris'? It's kind of weird talking about stuff like this in the middle of this place."

"I'll take you home. But not to Chris'."

"Why not?" I griped before raising an eyebrow at him suspiciously. "It's because you're jealous ain't it?"

He wasn't even fazed. "It's because you're using him to try and make yourself normal."

"Is that wrong?" To want more for myself and get that with someone?

"A little bit."

This was gonna turn into an argument. Probably because I just could never control my anger.

"And you're with Elena because she looks like Katherine."

"No. Damon wants to be with Elena because she looks like Katherine. I'm with her because I'm in love with her."

I rolled my eyes. Fuck love. Tina Turner made a whole song about love being some bull. And I agree with her. "You love her so much that you're gonna keep you not being okay a secret from her."

"Exactly. She doesn't need to know about that and you said you wouldn't say anything. I'm trusting you."

"I thought with love came honesty. She's an open book with you."

"If she were such an open book she would've told me herself about her kissing Damon twice. Instead I had to learn that from you."

"Ouch." Damn. I didn't even mean to spill the beans on that one. Being drunk will do that do ya. Though everyone swears I have a big mouth. But I do not. I ain't loose lipped. "Trouble in paradise I see?"

"No troubles, just some issues."

"Anything I can do to help?"

"You're doing enough as it is."

He lifted me up again and this time, he did so the right way. Piggy back. And man, this piggy had a nice back. It was all nice and muscular. No wonder Stefan played for the football team. Damn he was cut.

"If you ever want to talk, Stefan, I'm always here to listen."

"If you visit Elena for me, I'll consider it."

I snarled. "Nope."

"Well then I guess I'll just be seeing you tomorrow night then."

"Yup." I couldn't believe I'd allowed myself to get caught up in another bullshit situation involving Stefan. Even if this one did seem a lot more mild than the rest. All I had to do was look up some herbs and decode that shit. I could do that in my sleep. "And if you bring Damon, you pay me five more grand."

Instead of super speeding his way out the place, Stefan opted to walked at a human's pace. "What are you talking about? Damon left town the day Elena chose me. We made an agreement."

What? How had Damon left town if he was dating my sister? And I know the man I saw last night wasn't a Damon Doppelganger, as plausible as that might have been. No... that was regular ole' sarcastic Damon. Why would Stefan have thought Damon left town? Holy fucking shit, it was because Damon probably left the boarding house and "pretended" to leave. But in reality he was still talking to me on a regular. No wonder that's why I never saw him during the day. Dude was trying to be incognito and I may have spoiled the entire plan.

Stefan stopped dead in his tracks. "Aaliyah, has Damon been seeing you?"

"No." My lie came quick and easy. "I'm just so used to seeing you both that I just assumed you'd be bringing him with you."

"Well I'm not. Sorry, he's moved on."

Like fuck he did.

But if Damon were to have made some deal with Stefan that whoever Elena doesn't choose leaves town, why wasn't Damon living up to the end of the deal.

What puzzled me the most was, why was he so intent on bothering me and only me?

**C . B . D**

**Oomph. People keeping secrets in the group. Stefan doesn't know Damon is still in town. Elena doesn't know Stefan is going through a rough patch. And Lea is supposed to keep both a secret. Wonder how that turns out. **

**Since this story is about the gang and their broken circle. Who from the clique would you like to see. Caroline? Tyler? Matt? Jeremy? Bonnie. **

**Or you want some Original family down the road? **

**It's gonna be hard managing all of them. I can do some. Can't lie to you all, you probably won't see everyone.**

**Question for the road: Who's your favorite female character from the show?**

**For me? Hands down it's Bonnie. I can relate to her the most and her character has gone through so much and she still remains strong. I don't know how people can hate her character and call her judgmental. **


	4. Rerating My Netflix Will Be a Bitch

**Chapter 4 – Rerating My Netflix Will Be a Bitch**

**Damon's POV**

**C . B . D**

"I don't get it, Damon, why can't Stefan know what's going on?"

Leaning against my apartment door, I watched Elena's face scrunch in fear of Stefan finding out our little predicament. She still carried that annoying trait of never wanting to hurt anyone's feelings even after death. Always having to play the role of the honest girl. The quicker she lost the honorability, the quicker she'd see the joys of being undead.

"Because then that would defeat the purpose of it being a secret," I pointed out. She didn't need a fucking laundry list of reasons why telling Stefan had bad idea written all over it. "Don't play dumb, you know we can't."

"He deserves to know the truth." Her brown eyes stared at me and she gave me her signature I'm-wholesome-and-this-is-wrong look. It may have worked on me before, but I was not budging on this one. Stefan was to be kept in the dark at all costs.

"He had his chance Elena and he blew it." Big time.

Her thin shoulders bunched into a shrug. "We can't keep doing this to him."

"Why not?" I smiled, pulling her into my arms. "Are you not having fun?"

She pulled her lips into her teeth, biting its soft flesh. "It's wrong."

"Sometimes the wrong thing to do is the right thing to do."

"What?"

I laughed. "Just role with it."

Smiling, Elena's hands slowly wrapped themselves around me and she tugged me closer. "I've been just rolling with it for weeks now."

"Don't tell me you can't handle this, Elena."

"One more week, Damon. One more and we're done. I can't keep living this lie. Stefan doesn't deserve this."

Ugh, mood kill. I moved her away from me, hating the fact that even when the two of us were alone Stefan still remained a factor. Get the fuck over him already. "Fine. One week. You know you'll come back for more though."

"Only in Damonland would that happen."

Damonland? Only Elena could say something as dorky as that. "What happens in Stefanland? School boy by day, superhero by night. Squirrels are endangered."

Rolling her brown eyes, she waved me off. "Goodnight, Damon."

"Good night," I sang, watching as she left my sped away.

One week my ass. Yeah, she'd go back to Stefan and would try to escape me, but we both knew how it would all end. With her inevitably crawling her way back to me. She was helpless. A sexy trait in a woman.

Sighing, I opened the door to my apartment, taking one step into my house before being bombarded with a noise I wasn't prepared to hear.

"_Let's gather 'round the campfire and sing our campfire song! Our C-A-M-P-F-I-R-E-S-O-N-G SONG!" _

Was that... Spongebob?

And was that Lea singing along with it?

What the fuck.

Couldn't have been. She didn't know of my whereabouts and wouldn't have broken into my home even if she did.

Oh what was I thinking, Lea loved fucking with me just as much as I did her. This was something I'd do so she definitely would do it back. And she didn't play the helpless damsel role Elena did. She was more take charge and ballsy. A trait I thoroughly hated.

Charging into my living room, I didn't even get the chance to make a scene, Lea had already beat me to it.

"Wazzup, Damon," she nodded her head to me. "Man...I've been waiting here for you for hours. I bought us some pizza. Pepperoni lovers from Pizza Hut but of course. I even got us some chocolate dunkers but I ate all of them. Sorry."

This wasn't fucking happening. Lea was not sitting on my couch, watching Spongebob with my Netflix, using my own grin against me. This was a sick joke. Or maybe I'd gotten stabbed in the heart, never realized it, and this was my version hell. Where Lea continuously found ways to both torment and one-up me.

Taking a sip of her soda, she slurped loudly. "I ransacked your fridge b-t-w, and was happy to see you stocked your fridge with root beer. You must've known I was coming over, you hate soda."

Little did she know, those weren't mine, they were Elena's. And under no circumstances was Lea to figure out Elena and I were on speaking terms. She had the biggest mouth in Mystic Falls and would tell Stefan in a heartbeat.

Just like she was going to tell him about me still being in town.

Not if I had anything to do with it.

"How'd you get in here?"

She smacked loudly on her pepperoni infested pizza. "Divination, Damon. Come on now, you act as if you don't know the drill. If I want to know something, it takes no effort at all for me to get it. All I had to do was sit in a drawn pentagram and meditate."

Fucking voodoo bullshit wullshit. It was a pain in the ass. What with her constantly wanting to use tarot cards, or asking me to do freaky rituals with her just for her to practice. Though it was hilarious when she bought a crystal ball off Ebay. The look on her face when it didn't work was worth it.

"Yeah. But how did you break in?"

"Immturmett," she said, mouth stuffed with food. "All I had to do was yahoo, fuck google, how to pick a lock and viola, I got ya whole place to myself."

Well that was smart.

"Dean and Sam could learn something from me huh? Lea Winchester. Has a ring to it doesn't it?"

What was with her and her love for terrible paranormal shows. I remembered when she tried to get me to watch True Blood, it was horrid. And she actually enjoyed it. Especially some blonde dick named Eric Compton or something.

"Get out, Lea." She wouldn't. Not at all. I already knew that.

"Come on," she cried, patting the seat next to her. "Do we really have to do this the hard way? Where I yell at you for being a dick to your brother and not keeping up your end of the bargain?"

Her relationship with Stefan was disgusting in every way imaginable. Were they like best fucking friends? They told each other everything and had sleepovers and pillow fights and did each other's hair. How did Elena like him.? He was clearly gay.

Still, I can't believe he told her about our deal. Dick. "What's the easy way?"

"You open your oven, see the pizza I bought just for you because I know you hate pepperoni you ungodly thing, grab a drink, and chill with me."

I backed into my kitchen, opening my oven to see just as she said. A large pizza was crammed inside it. She didn't know my damn tastes. Let's see what she bought for me.

Setting the pizza onto a counter, I flipped the box open, mouth watering at what I saw.

Lea, in her typical dramatic fashion, called off the name of ingredients on it.

"Chicken, ham, mushrooms, green peppers, olives, and pineapples. All beautifully adorning cheese stuffed crust. All this can be yours if the price is right, Damon."

"How'd you know this is what I liked?"

"Remember the night all of us ordered pizza while figuring out how to stop Klaus' ritual? None of us had the same tastes so we each got individual boxes and you especially ordered the most vile concoction ever to exist."

I smiled, doing the next thing she said on the list and got me a drink. "Your memory is so good it's scary."

"Can you sit on down so I can watch Spongebob please. And shut up too. You know how you like to talk through shit."

"Shut up. You enjoy my commentary." Sitting on my couch, the seat directly next to her because she'd freak out at by how close we were, I snatched away the controller.

"Hey!" she began her whiny fest as I exited out of her cartoon. If we were gonna watch something, it would be something I liked. "I was watching that! It's a good episode too!"

"And now you're not watching it. Besides, it's not even a good episode. The Nasty Patty was classic."

"Truuuuue." I cringed as she mimicked that one rapper that was on every song nowadays.

"Leaaaa," I sang her name, turning to see how she was still stuffing her face. She had the appetite of a vampire. "Why is Yo Gabba Gabba in my top ten?"

"I rated a few of your shows too and rerated some things you had all fucked up. Thirty Rock is a one star and how did you not rate Walking Dead a five star."

"You don't touch another man's Netflix!"

"WALKING DEAD IS A FIVE STAR DAMMIT!"

I was going to kill her. Slowly and painfully. By watching thirty rock. Her least favorite show.

"Damon... what are you doing?" Tapping my shoulder, she panicked as soon as I began typing 3-0 into the search.

I took a bite of the pizza she bought for me. Which was heaven. I owed her. But still, how could she do something as nice as that and then do something completely fucked up like rerate my shows. Now everything was out of whack. I'd have to go through everything again. "What do you think? Watching tv."

"B-b-but we're not watching that show. Anything but that show. You know how I feel about Tracy Morgan."

"You got something against black comedians?"

"Why's he gotta be a _black_ comedian? Why can't be just be a comedian? You racist."

"Your sister doesn't seem to think so." As soon as the words left my mouth, I knew that she wasn't going to react well. Fuck, she was way too hot-tempered for her own good and blew up at the tiniest things.

Which was why I was pleasantly surprised to see that she didn't explode. "Let's see what Stefan thinks about it."

"You won't be saying a word to him about this."

"Hmmm... for a price."

She wanted to be difficult? Typical. "Name it."

Shaking her head, Lea laughed at me. "Oh no, sweetheart, I want to hear your opening bid. Make a good deal for me."

"Ten grand."

"You think I need money? Wow, Damon, you're smarter than that, think of something else to bribe me with."

"I can offer you me," I smiled, pulling her closer to my side, keeping her warm body against my cold one. She liked me, we all knew it, she was just brilliant at hiding it.

"I've seen the package." She gave me a once over, mouth diving into a frown as she did. "Not interested."

"Come on." Pushing her backwards onto the couch, I crawled over her frame, settling myself between her legs. I dipped down lower onto her, watching her eyes widen as I kept my mouth but a few centimeters away from her own. "I want you."

The heat the spread inside of her let me know everything I needed to know. She wanted me too and that was all that mattered.

"Get off me, Damon."

My fingers danced across the length of her body, and her eyes were practically pleading for me to continue. "Don't pretend as if you want me to stop. Chris isn't handling his job properly, huh?"

It was only a matter of time before we had sex anyway. It was undeniable what was going on between the two of us and Lea was number one on my list of girls to fuck. She just had to loosen up.

Figuratively. Not literally.

"I've heard the horror stories Caroline has told me. Your stroke game isn't anything I'd like to experience for myself. Please get off me, Damon. "

"Beg me some more. I like it when you do it."

"If you don't get off me, I'm going to bite your nose off and have you looking like Michael Jackson may God rest his mother fucking soul."

"Don't tell Stefan I'm still in town." Technically, I wasn't. I lived in a city just five minutes outside of Mystic Falls so I was honoring my agreement with Stefan. "And I'll leave your sister alone."

"Thank you," she said, for the first time of the night sounding sincere and grateful. "Now get the fuck off me, you smell like bitches."

Elena's perfume. "Take that up with Liv. It isn't my fault."

"Ya mama."

And that was why I watched five episodes of thirty rock lying on top of her.

**C . B . D**

**Boring ending, I know. But Lea and Damon can talk forever about nothing so I didn't want to keep going. **

**What did everyone think of VD? I was very surprised that I enjoyed the episode seeing as though I hated both season two and three. Things may be looking up. **

**Question: Are Lea and Damon going to respect their deal? Damon ain't trustworthy and Lea runs her mouth like bathwater. **


	5. Stefan You Son of a Bitch!

**I hope you all are still sticking with me after all this time. I know I haven't updated in a while, I'm sorry. I was figuring out which route to take this story and this chapter was pivotal in deciding that. **

**Hope you enjoy Lea Stefan time. **

**Chapter 5 – Stefan You Son of a Bitch! **

**. . . **

"You find anything?"

"I dunno, maybe I would if you weren't breathing down my neck."

"Deal with it."

I frowned, stopping in the middle of emptying the contents of the mason jar before me. Stefan, taking it upon himself to hunch himself over my shoulder so he could get a good look, wasn't helping any. The rhythm of his breathing partnered with me feeling the gentle rise and fall of his chest continuously got me distracted. If he wanted me to figure out what the meaning was of this jar and why someone placed it at Alaric's grave, then he needed to chill with all the touchy touchy. "Seriously, I can feel you watching me."

"What's wrong, Lea, can't concentrate with me around? Am I a distraction?"

If I weren't mistaken, I'd swear it seemed like Stefan was taunting me rather than being sincere. "Your big chin is hurting my shoulder blade. That's all."

"Fine," he said, moving away from me and my shoulder rejoiced. And while he did increase the space between us, it was only by a few inches. Stefan was still very intent on watching me figure this all out and and the feel of his gaze on me was making me self-concious of my every move.

He wasn't going to make this easy.

"Orris root," I called out, sprinkling the finely crushed off white powder onto the table.

"Orris root, what does that mean?"

"It's for protection. And is used a lot in spells, rituals, yada yada shit you don't do."

"Someone's not chipper this morning."

It was none of his business but since he asked..."Chris and I had a fight."

The jackass. Thinking he was so much better than someone because his grades reflected it. Fuck him and his straight As. What did he know that actually mattered? Did he know that you couldn't kill an Orignal Vampire without a white oak stake? Or that vampires even existed? Yeah, I didn't think so. So he could go fuck himself with his book smarts.

I didn't hear a peep from out of Stefan. Not even his breathing. Maybe he actually didn't care about my problems. Maybe he was more interested in this fucking meaningless mason jar.

"I'm sorry," he finally said before drawing in a long inhale.

"That's it? Usually you've got some good advice to give."

His loud exhale was what I heard next. "That's because you don't want to hear what I have to say," he groaned probably stretching.

"Lay it on me."

"You don't really like Chris. You're using him because he's convenient."

"Pennyroyal. Gives peace," I announced, putting the green leafy plant in it's own pile. So far, nothing from the jar seemed malevolent. If that were the case though, why couldn't I walk through the graveyard? That most definitely wasn't a benevolent spell. Someone wanted to keep me out. "Because you think I want to be normal, I got it. I'm a weirdo."

"If anything he's the weird one."

What did Chris ever do to Stefan? "You don't like him for me."

Stefan gave a _hmmph_. "I just think you're too good for him."

"Aaaaaawwwww." This was too cute. Stefan thought that I deserved better. Maybe he was right. I didn't know. But I was getting a raging case of the warm fuzzies because of his words. He was a recovering ripper, but he still was a sweetheart.

"And, his tattoos bother me. Plus he has pansy piercings, he's just trying way too hard to be cutting edge."

"Says the one with the ginormous rose tattoo on his arm," I snickered.

"You don't want to know the story behind this."

Guess some things you don't want to last an eternity. "Dude, before I forget, I've got a present for ya."

"A present?" He sounded skeptical. Not everything has a double meaning Stefan.

"Christmas has come early for you. In my book bag. I made ya something."

Quickly and rather excitingly, Stefan began rummaging through my stuff. He went through books, notebooks, pencils, all the shit I didn't actually use, before finding what I wanted him to.

A ziplock bag filled with the key to helping his ripper struggles.

Opening the bag of herbs, Stefan immediately staggered backwards as if coming across something detrimental to his health. Shit, he'd figured everything out way too quickly. He knew what was in that bag instantaneously.

I couldn't let him see me sweat. I tried to control my heartbeat and my breathing, but I'm sure he noticed my demeanor changing.

Time to pretend as if nothing happened. "Dirt. That shits just used as a binding. That doesn't mean anything."

The loud sniffs that Stefan was producing convinced me that he wasn't buying my act. "Lea... is this... weed?"

Gulping, I still tried to make him think I was really into this jar. "Yes those are weeds. To help you overcome your ripper ways."

"No. You know what I mean. Weed weed."

I dropped my tools to the table and looked over my shoulder at him. The mixture of emotions on his face was an odd one. His eyebrow was raised suspiciously, his eyes were squinted as if he were trying to digest everything, but I swear his mouth was twitching, trying to hold back laughter. "What kind of girl do you think I am. I obey the law."

"What's in here?" he demanded and answer.

And I gave him one. "Medicinal herbs."

"What kind?"

"It's going to level you out. Control your urges, y'know."

"What kind, Lea," he said with more force.

Yeah. He caught me. "Peppermint. Chamomile. Lavender. Cannabis Ruderalis. Elderroot. You know, shit to calm you down."

"Lea, are you-"

"Now just hear me out goddammit!" I cried, slamming my fist onto the table infront of me for dramatic effect. "I'm not telling you to smoke it. I'm not! You can put it in tea bags and make some tea. You can finely grind it and use it to season food. Or, and this is just you know, an open suggestion, you can roll that shit and smoke it."

"You want me to smoke this?" He waved the bag of weed I made.

"We can even do it together because deeper down in my bookbag, are leftover fruit loop crispy treats."

That I stole from Chris because he was fucking unworthy.

"Is that why there's so much?"

I didn't want to give him the truthful answer. I didn't want him to know that I still had some nice tendencies to me. Stefan had the unusual ability to tell whether or not a person was good deep down inside. And once he caught whiff of that goodness, he'd never let you forget about it whenever you decided to do something bad.

I dropped my head down. Stefan was about to find the sliver of light in the black hole that was my heart. "You know why there's so much."

He cheesed like I had a camera in my hand. "Because this can also help Elena."

"Mhm," I sighed.

For my good deeds, I felt the arms of Stefan wrapping around me, pulling me into the comfiest backwards hug ever. He squeezed me tightly, and I could smell that amazing scent of his that made me wanna make Campbell's Mmm Mmm Good noises. If Damon smelled like great sex and long nights, Stefan smelled like victory and greatness. Fresh soap with a hint of citrus in it. Enough to make a girl wanna play vampire and run her tongue along his neck. "Thank you."

What was it about these two brothers that smelled so delicious? You know what? I had to stop. I had a boyfriend. He and I may have been fighting, but he was my boo nonetheless. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, don't get all soft on me now."

"You're not as bad as you think you are, Lea."

Yes I was. "I'm not as bad as what you all make me out to be."

I still didn't wanna see Elena. I still didn't wanna be bothered.

And this jar was fucking fluke. "Stefan, there isn't anything wrong with this jar. It's just someone paying respects to the dead. It's the equivalent of giving flowers." So I made a replacement offering for nothing.

"Then why couldn't you walk in through the area?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out," I said, my voice fading away as my tweezers picked up something incredibly odd. It was scarlet red and contained a white S adorning it's circular shape. "S-Stefan… is… is this a skittle?"

Stefan not saying anything actually answered all the questions I had.

Who loved skittles? Bonnie.

Who sucked at putting medicinal jars together? Bonnie.

Who else did I know beside myself that had the ability to but a spell like immobility on someone? Bonnie.

This whole situation was a set-up.

I'd been duped. Stefan fucking conned me. Played be like a fiddle.

"Lea-"

"I'm outie!" I groaned, trying to snatch everything back into my bookbag so that I could make my quick escape.

Stefan wasn't letting that happen, however. Right now he was cornering me between the the table I was sitting at and himself. His hands reached out on either side of me, gripping the table to make sure I was incapable of side stepping him.

"Stefan, you better move before I give you a Gangnam style ass whoopin'."

His lush green eyes found my own and sincerity burned in them. "I'm sorry. This was the only way I knew of getting you here."

By setting me up in a trap. "How much of what you told me was a lie?"

"The jar and spell were both made up by Bonnie to lure you in here,-"

"No shit, Sherlock. What else?"

"Nothing's wrong with Alaric's grave. I just don't want you to distance yourself from us."

You know how a jackal will bite its leg off when its trapped? Well, I was about to bite Stefan's arm off so I could leave. "Everyone else has."

"No. You just think we all have. You're the only one being cold."

Bullshit. "Cold or smart?"

"So you call exiling yourself from your best friends being smart?" That response didn't come from Stefan. That response came from a husky feminine voice that carried all kinds of hurt in it. Ugh, my stomach avalanched down to the floor and my anxiety skyrocketed to the moon. "You think turning your back on the ones who need you the most isn't at all cold."

Listening to the clacks of heels coming into the room, I looked over Stefan's shoulder to look into the eyes of the voice.

Bonnie Bennet. And to my surprise, Caroline Forbes.

Caroline, crossing her arms over her chest, shook her head at me disappointingly. "Aaliyah Janelle James, you have some serious explaining to do."

**. . . **

**Yeah, had I wanted to make a story very plot dense, the meaning of that jar would've been totally different. But I'd rather write about the lies and secrets within the group than do that.**

**But Stefan set Lea up. How sad. **

**I'm one of the Stefan Lea fans. Lea and Damon all alright, but I enjoy her better with Stef. **

**I hate Elena with either, but we do have Elena centric chapters coming up soon. **

**And I hope this doesn't seem like Elena bashing. While I hate her, that's not what I intend to do. I just wanted to show a more realistic account of how someone would handle being in that group. **

**Ta ta.**


	6. Wait a Minute, Lea Liked Damon?

**I have decided that any chapters involving a POV other than Lea's shall be written in third person. And even Lea's may turn to third person. I hope it's okay with you all. **

**Chapter 6 – Wait a Minute. Lea Liked Damon?**

Stefan Salvatore made the mistake of freeing Lea from the barrier he'd trapped her in. The second she found a sliver freedom, she capitalized and tried to flee forcing Stefan to get a bit more physical with his stopping her. Gripping her forearms with enough pressure for no escape, he pulled her into him, crashing her back into his chest. He didn't want to do this. For more than one reason. She was wild, erratic, and upset. Everything he knew would come from her once she found out this was nothing but a trap. It was everything he didn't want her to be at the moment.

"Lea, this is your intervention. Please, don't get mad."

Stefan didn't bother telling Caroline that that wasn't the best of ways to soothe someone. Instead, he lead by example.

"You're okay," he whispered to her like a parent does their petrified child. "We just want to talk to you."

"Talk to me?" The rage emitting from her was beginning to deplete his energy. This wasn't good and he would've taken the time to do something had the heat radiating from her delicate flesh not lovingly embrace his itching fangs. They were pleading to find the length of her pulsating vein and lap at the sickishly sweet liquid she'd been withholding. How could she have helped him overcome his ripper ways if she was the one he wanted to drink from the most? If anything, her very presence was enough to coerce him into relapse. "Talk to me or crucify me? Stefan, you fucking Judas."

Her exaggerations knew no bounds. She'd just called him a traitor, when in this case, she was the one being treacherous.

It was Bonnie's turn to blanket Lea's fire. "We're just here to have a discussion."

Caroline ruined it. "Yeah, about how you gave us the ultimate cold shoulder. You turned us all down like we were knock off Louboutins."

Stefan could feel Lea's muscles flexing and attempting for mobility to no avail. She could try to break free all she wanted to, they both knew it wouldn't work. But the feel of her writhing against him was just another addition to him wanting to sink his teeth into various layers of her flesh.

Yeah, he'd end up smoking that whole bag of weed she'd made for him before the night was up.

"You want cold shoulder? I'll give you cold shoulder," she spat, before rendering herself unsettlingly calm. Her breathing grew zen-like and she closed her eyes. "Bring forth heaven. Bring forth hell-"

One arm cinching her waist and dragging her in closer to him, Stefan used his other hand to fly over her mouth before too much damage was done. It didn't surprise him in the slightest that she was going to use her witchcraft (voodoo as she liked to call it because her roots were Native American versus Bonnie's European heritage) against them all. Lea was a loose canon. It was part of her appeal to his brother, Damon, and the reason why Klaus loved toying with her. She was the one to watch out for amongst the group. The unpredictable one.

After Damon.

But they needed to control her before she could say anymore. Stefan could feel all his might dwindling. She may have not noticed, but his grip around her waist has lessened and his resolve was weakening.

"Seriously? You'd use a spell against us? Not cool." Caroline sighed, disappointment decorating her blue eyes. Frowning, all her frustration transitioned into sadness. "Lea, we all miss you."

"Don't baby her. She knows that." Bonnie, the tougher of the two, wasn't going to cut her any slack. Even Stefan wouldn't have put it that way. Then again, he liked to think of his relationship to the voodooist in his arms as special. "We're the ones who need the answers."

Stefan was beginning to regret his decision to make things right between everyone. It was clear that the issues between everyone needed to be healed organically rather than forcefully.

The spit building on Stefan's palm from Lea's muffled rage was evidence enough. Surely she wasn't saying anything friendly.

"Can you stop making out with my hand please?" he asked her.

The tongue that proceeded to run along his palm was his answer.

"Lea... Elena needs you. Elena needs all of us. Seriously, we're all a little fucked up and need each other. Why are you the only one being so mean?"

Bonnie folded her arms, patiently waiting for Lea to answer the question Caroline posed. "Stefan, lower your hand so she can answer."

"And have her finish her spell? Not happening," he replied, sure that Lea wasn't going to cooperate if he did listen and lower his hand. He felt sorry for her. He was the orchestrator in all of this and was the reason for her feeling attacked.

Honestly, she needed to hear all of this. She needed to know how everyone viewed her actions.

Bonnie didn't seem fazed by the thought of Lea performing voodoo against them all. "Lea, if you even think about trying that, I'll have your voice gone within milliseconds."

It was going to become a Lea Bonnie showdown and Stefan had no idea who to place his money on or if he even wanted to test it. Both were strong in different departments and the two going head to head was something he'd never want to see. Against the voice in his head telling him not to, he lowered his hand.

He never let her go, however. It was to protect everyone in the room and also so he could have a few more moments of feeling her scent lay thick against his senses. And not her scent in the perfume kind of way, her body chemistry. The darkness in her that was constantly luring him in as of lately was slowly infatuating him.

Shaking the blonde hair from her face, Stefan felt Lea's once fluttering heart steady. "Bonnie, I love you like a sister, but don't threaten me."

Raising an eyebrow, Bonnie returned her a stern look. "Don't give me a reason to."

Was that all?

Good. No one got hurt.

"I'm not hanging around you all, because this group is fucking poison. Us together is like mentos and coke. The result is disastrous."

Stefan wanted to argue her on that, but she'd already heard his side of things. It was time for her to hear Bonnie and Caroline's.

"Not true." Caroline's reaction was first. "United we stand and divided we fall, Lea."

She didn't care. "Look at all we've lost. It's only a matter of time before I end up losing someone dear to me-"

"You already have. We all have watched our friends die," Bonnie sighed with hints of tears stinging her soft green eyes. This wasn't easy for her. This wasn't easy for anyone.

Lea didn't share the same sadness as everyone else in the room. She never could open up. It was always a rare occasion for her to show emotions she'd deem as "weak". She always internalized. Much like his brother and even him. "And if you think I'm going to play this game and have my sister die then you all are fucking retards. If anything happens to my family, I'm coming for Elena's head. No questions asked. I don't care if I have to get through each of you to have it happen. She'll wish Klaus had doppelganger-napped her."

She was also incredibly violent and would back up her threats. Stefan didn't even want to see the day something like that happened because he was certain Lea would snap and go through with her claims. The last thing he wanted to do was think of Lea as his enemy rather than his friend. Especially with how much he valued her friendship.

"That's beyond bitchy. You know that?" Caroline scoffed.

"So be it. It's the truth. You all asked for it." Lea's harsh and scathing tone only enhanced her callous demeanor.

Rubbing her hands over her face, Bonnie sighed. "We're supposed to be your family."

"And you all are, but y'all ain't my blood," Lea's reply came easily. Like she didn't care about hurting them. "And while we're all spilling the truth tea, let's talk about Elena. I take it that from this little get together you all want to talk to me about her as well. Let's all pity the girl we've tried to save."

It hurt Stefan to hear her talk like that about his girlfriend. The two used to be close. Not as close as Lea was with Stefan or Damon or Bonnie, but Elena still had an off kilter friendship with her. They were so different that it was endearing to see them interact. Now she spoke as if Elena was the antichrist.

"She needs our help," Bonnie said.

"She's not the same girl anymore." Caroline was a firm protestor in Elena's change.

But no. No Elena wasn't. Elena wasn't anything what Stefan remembered her as. She was becoming more and more what Damon wanted her to be.

Thank God he left town.

"I say good riddance. The girl we knew before was only out for herself. She used us all. Do I need to pull out the laundry list of fuckery she's pulled or would that be giving low blows?"

Even her mentioning that she could rehash some of the things they'd lost trying to help Elena was low. Like they weren't all aware of what they'd sacrificed.

"You're just like Damon," Bonnie attacked, probably the most hurt of them all. "You have zero compassion."

"Maybe that's a good thing then," she said, proud to bear the title as the female Damon. "He's the only one sitting pretty right now ain't he?"

Not exactly. Elena chose the brother behind her. "Really? Is that why he's nowhere to be found?" Stefan bragged, a little hint of a smile touching his lips.

Lea stiffened and her breathing became non-existent. What? What had Stefan said to cause that kind of response?

Did she miss Damon?

Bonnie didn't give Stefan the chance to ask. "I just think it's hypocritical of you to blind us all with the bad Elena has done and expect no one to call you out on your faults too."

"YEAH!" Caroline seconded. "Like how you slept with Tyler."

Lea slept with Tyler?

What?

"Hold up!" Lea finally broke free of Stefan's clutches. She'd caught him while he was above and beyond astonished. "I slept with him two years ago. You didn't even like him then! None of us did."

"You did enough to sleep with him," Caroline murmured, little hints of jealousy showing.

Lea slept with Tyler?

Tyler Lockwood?

She tried to defend herself still. "You can't even hold that against me. Because honestly, if we all talk about the people you've slept with Caroline the list would be never ending. Damon, Tyler, maybe Klaus - we won't touch that topic today. And remember when Stef first showed up? You were all over that man."

"That's fine. Talk about me as if I'm not in the room," he wheezed.

Caroline clearly took offense to that. "We're gonna go there, Lea?"

"Yeah. We're gonna go there."

"Well how about we talk about the crush you had on Damon when he came into town."

Lea liked Damon too?

Why?

The secrets in their group knew no bounds.

"I did not!" Lea stomped her foot on the ground. "I never liked Damon! You all thought I did."

"He was your date to the 50s dance." Bonnie seemed to agree on the crush accusations.

But still. Damon?

Damon Salvatore.

His brother?

Were they all thinking of the same man?

But Stefan would've been lying had he said he didn't notice the interactions between the two. The group thought of Lea as the "Female Damon" with good reason. The pair were usually on the same page and typically did their dirty work as a team.

He didn't like to think of it like that, but the group was usually divided into teams.

Elena and Stefan. They were the voices of reason.

Bonnie worked alone. Though on occasion she worked with Lea when Damon decided to go "rogue."

Jeremy and Matt. They were like brothers.

Tyler and Caroline. Who were inseparable.

And then there was the most destructive and impulsive matching – Damon and Lea. They were the yang to Elena and Stefan's yin.

"We did the tango at a fifties dance. You can't tell me that wasn't cool. But I never had a crush on him." Why didn't Stefan believe her? He really wanted to, but couldn't. "And it's not like you all could blame me if I did. Damon is really good looking."

"Okay enough with the girl talk in front of me." Stefan had to intervene. This was beginning to turn into something it wasn't supposed to. He'd be the one to get the train back on its tracks. "Lea, the bottom line is, we all miss you and want you to come back."

"Know that I miss you all too. That I love you all," she conceded, showing a bit of the emotion that Stefan had been dying to see. Her usually loud voice dwindled down into a soft cry and Stefan could feel the reluctance inside of her that was telling her to not share how she felt. "You all will always have a part of me that no one else will ever have or come to know. But I can't do this right now. I can't risk my life for a girl who won't appreciate it again. I can't sit with you all and sweep all the drama we've encountered under the rug. I've gotta vote for me. I gotta put me first this time."

Grabbing her bookbag and slinging it over her shoulder, Lea took it upon herself to call their intervention kaputt and went along her merry way. "And you really need to work on your jar making skills, Bonnie"

That was the last they heard from her before she left them all to reflect on what had just happened.

There were parts of Stefan that could whole-heartedly understand where Lea was coming from. They couldn't expect her to stay with them after the hell they all went through. They couldn't persecute her for wanting to for once act a little selfishly after all she'd done. But it was hard to let her go. It was hard to accept the fact that they weren't the same anymore. It was to be expected that someone would crack first.

He just didn't think it would've been her.

Maybe they didn't mean much to her anymore. Maybe he didn't mean much to her anymore.

Bonnie flopped onto the couch behind her. "Well, this wasn't productive."

Regardless of how he felt internally, Stefan had to play the role of the optimistic one. He had to keep up the facade that he wasn't slipping back into his ripper self. That meant being his former self. No matter if Lea saw through it with ease. "No. No this was good. She's opening up a bit."

Caroline didn't listen, she was busy dealing with something else that perturbed her.

"Why does it smell like weed in here?"


	7. Eric Northman Pwns Damon Salvatore

**Chapter 7 – Eric Northman Pwns Damon Salvatore**

"So you basically fell into Stefan's little trap huh? You should've known something was up. That wasn't very smart of you." Damon teased, thin clouds forming momentarily from his breathing before evaporating in the frosty winter night.

He was right though, I was gullible. Stefan knew I'd be weak to him if he asked nicely and used me. Never a-fucking-gain. Not after that verbal abuse he put me through.

Okay, I was exaggerating, Bonnie and Caroline didn't talk to me nearly as bad as what I thought they were. I came out with a few bumps and bruises but none would leave any scars.

Feeling the dry air stick to my skin, I took a sip of the hot cocoa Damon was kind enough to buy me. "Ahhhhh," I exhaled, feeling the rich creamy goodness warm me to my very soul, building a forcefield against the freezing temperature that tried to have its day. Some people liked tea, some people liked coffee, I was more of a cocoa kind of girl. Cocoa, with lots of marshmallows. "Don't worry about me though, I handled myself."

"You always do." I smiled at his compliment. "You should be flattered, at least they're making an attempt to bring you back in their misfit gang, they haven't asked me once."

He didn't sound sorry one bit. Instead, his tone was mocking and infused with that same deadpan sense of humor I grew fond of.

But even still, there had to be a piece of him that was upset or hurt that no one, with the exception of me (and later on Elena), liked him very much. No one had nice things to say about him and wanted him gone from the start which I thought was a little fucked up. He worked his ass off just as much as anyone else did. He was a very undervalued chess piece on the board.

"Well, next to Klaus you're the one who's killed everyone's loved ones." Which was why I forced him to stop seeing Liv. I was whole-heartedly surprised to see him make good of our deal too, though he was probably astounded to see I kept my mouth shut to Stefan. "But I miss you."

"You're such a terrible liar," he said and I gasped dramatically. "You say you hate me all the time. Unless, maybe, just maybe, you're saying all of that to miserably cover up your feelings for me."

I laughed, taking a bite of the coffee cake slice I also asked Damon to buy me. But that wasn't before he poked fun at me for eating like a fatso. Who cared. Food was delicious. It's very reasoning for being put on this Earth was to make me one very happy greedy-greedy-num-num.

"Let's get a few things straight. The first being that ever since we met, you always thought that I wanted to take a ride on your disco stick." Which was because he was full of himself. "The second being that I don't hate you. I mean, I did when you were with my sister but that was only because I _had_ to hate you. Now that you two are donezo, I could never hate you. Not even if I tried."

The sound of cars driving along slushy roads along with the faintest sounds of Christmas carols being sung overtook our conversation as we walked along ice slicked sidewalks. Eyes falling to the pavement, Damon looked as if he were searching for something that he'd never find. Like he was lost inside his own head. He was quiet, and history had proven that a quiet Damon meant one of three things.

He was planning.

He was angry.

Or he was taken aback.

I think it was option three. I'd said something that made him happy and or made our friendship level up.

But you know I just had to ruin it. No soft moments. "I only hate certain things about you."

His mouth twitched into a smirk. "Oh really. Do tell."

"Where to begin..." I murmured, "I hate that you have a collection of leather jackets. I despise your treasure trail - shave that shit off please. And...I loathe how much you've changed after your relationship with Elena deepened."

Had to be said. I was never one to not speak my mind.

But he changed completely, well maybe not completely but he changed a lot, after Elena finally began to return his advances. He turned into her lovesick puppy and a fake Stefan. He wasn't the same and I didn't know who the real Damon was; the man that I knew and became good friends with, or the whipping boy he was when Elena was around. Hopefully it was the former.

Damon was a big boy though and took my truth extremely well. "You love my jackets, I'll shave it once you dye your hair to a more flattering color, and I haven't changed at all."

I sighed, not wanting to get too deep into a discussion over his transformation but I'd brought it up. I knew what I would possibly be getting into and said it anyway. "Damon, you-"

"Ah, ah, ah," he sang and I silenced myself. "It's my turn to complain about you my voodoo practicing friend."

Oh this was going to be good. What did he have to say about me. "Lay it on me, Salvatore. I can handle it."

"I hate your love of Tim Burton movies – really, that guy's weird. I detest your relationship with Stefan. And I abhor that when Elena and I were...more friendly-"

"Doing everything under the rising sun besides fucking."

"-You grew cold around me."

Yeah, I didn't want the last part to get to me, but it did. It was completely not true. "I never grew cold. _You_ grew cold once you started playing panty sniffer with Elena's draws."

Him and Elena snogging (as the Brits would say) played a really big part in Damon and I kind of falling out. He knew how I felt about their relationship, we talked about it all the time, and his lack of caring of how them being together would shift the group just made our relationship rocky. Not that it was his fault. It wasn't. He wanted Elena for so long that it would've been selfish of me to think that he wouldn't go through with it.

Hell. I was selfish and I did think that. I was naïve enough to think that our...whatever you'd call it, was stronger than whatever he and Elena had.

But things didn't work in my favor did it? Or his. Elena chose Stefan. Made him look like boo boo the fool.

"I wasn't going to wait for you to come to your senses forever, Aaliyah."

Come to my senses? About what?

"Another thing I hate about you, you play dumb when you know you're not." Him leaving out that italicized speech pattern he did and his signature eye-rape look let me know he was being serious. "You know what we had Lea. Everyone else did. You can't lie to me and tell me that Bonnie, Caroline, and even Elena didn't assault you with questions concerning your spending time with me. While everyone else was busy making picket signs for their We-Hate-Damon fanclub, you were the only one to give me a shot on their own free will and that unsettled them. We-"

"You don't have to give me a fucking recap over our entire relationship, Damon, get to the point."

His frowned skydived and deepened. "The only person that stopped us from happening was you. Because of your stupid fucking insecurities. That you'd never be better than Katherine or Elena."

"Or Andie. Or Rose."

"I wanted you before either came into picture."

"Regardless, Elena will always be your number one. I know you Damon. More than you think. You don't care about anyone but yourself, Elena, and reluctantly Stefan. Everyone else is disposable and expendable." I didn't need the delicious drink to keep me toasty anymore, my anger was good enough. How could he flat out lie to me and say that we had something. We never had anything. I thought we did, but naw, smoke and mirrors. "It will always be Elena. Always. There has never been a time where she hasn't outranked me in your book. So I may have insecurities, but they're just. You'd sacrifice me if it meant having Elena for an eternity. So yeah, I was the girl who was your only friend and you still choose Elena. What's am I supposed to take from that?"

That our relationship was foul.

That I'd never be good enough for him.

That Elena would always win.

Which meant that Damon and I could never be. I'd never allow us to. We'd always be friends which to me was better than nothing.

"I'm sorry you feel that way."

I laughed. "No you're not. You're just playing the game. Thinking that since Elena dumped you that I'll take you back."

Eew, my sentence made it seem like he and I used to be a couple. We weren't. Don't even think for a second we were.

"You'll take me back and you know it."

Huffing and puffing, how our mini-fight melted like the snow hitting the ground was expected. This always happened. We'd fight (this was nothing) and then make up not seconds later. Didn't mean that we all together forgave one another, just meant that we were tired of being enemies. We were much better as a team if you ask me. "Not until you do some serious begging, Mister."

"Damon Salvatore doesn't beg."

He sure did beg like a dog for Elena.

"Gifts always work."

"You're so greedy. What else do you want?"

"Eric Northman." That fine fucking Swedish Fish. He was glorious and I wanted him to be mine.

"I'm better than any Eric Northman."

Blasphemy. "No the fuck you're not."

"Next."

Fine. Time to ask for my early birthday present. "A black '67 Chevy Impala."

He shoved me away from him. "It's time to stop living in the fantasy world, Lea. You're not going to ever meet Eric Northman, you'll never be Lea Winchester, you won't ever be sorted into Gryffindor, you're not from District 12 and you didn't win the Hunger Games."

He just had to rain on my parade because he lost his creativity long ago. "I've met Eric in my dreams, it is a known fact that I'm a long lost Winchester sibling, I'm in Slytherine – you'd know this is if you cared about me, and I fucked Katniss up. The odds were ever in my favor during that entire competition."

"You're such a nerd." he scoffed. "All you need to do is write fanfiction and you'd lose all my respect."

He was to never find out my secret fanfiction account or know my rage with the politics and fuckery that took place within the fanfiction world. Good fics get no reviews, bad fics get good reviews, OCs get no love unless they are a long lost twin of the protagonist and are named fucking ReignBeau Fenix, and people had the worst taste in pairings. God. I could only imagine what would happen if my surreal life was a show.

It'd be called, "Lea and friends."

"I'm not a ner-" I'd spoken too soon. My gaze shifted from the path ahead of me to the puffy white clouds above. My back and head crashed to the slick side walked that was coated with ice. Christ, my entire body cried out in pain and my eyes were squeezed shut upon impact.

All I needed were little Tweety Birds circling my head and this epic fail would've been complete.

Damon didn't bother covering up his laughter, making me feel like even more of a derp. "You were saying?"

"Go on without me. I'm just going to stay here and die." I prepared to meet my maker. "Did my coffee cake make it out okay?"

"No," he answered and my cry came out immediately. Nooooooo. I didn't even get to eat most of it. "You done being a clutz now or are you gonna continue to lay there."

I was just going to lay here. "My ass is wet and hurts."

"Want me to kiss it and make it better?"

Gross. "This is why Elena doesn't even talk about you."

I would've felt badly for being such a bitch if it wasn't for my mind having what was the most brilliant epiphany of the month. For last week that I was still hanging with Elena and Co., the same week Damon "left" town, Elena didn't mention Damon's absence once. Elena was always whiny and emotional, Damon not being around would've driven her to a breakdown. Vampire or not. Shit, double with her being a vampire.

Elena went on with her life as if nothing happened and like Damon was never a part of her life. That was part of the reason why I didn't want to be bothered with her.

But I didn't realize this before, she was acting so calm and casual, because Damon was still talking to her.

I got so egotistical and blind to think that Damon was only talking to me. I said it myself, it would always be Elena. And Damon was never one to give up. Why would he now? Why would he keep up his end of a deal. He never was honorable.

This had sneak all written over it.

He wasn't just talking to me.

He and Elena were still seeing each other.

**C . B . D **

**Damon pwns Northman in my book.**

**Damon versus Dean though...**

**Hmm. **

**Lea's playing detective now. **

**Next chapter: Their dreadful encounter. Elena and Lea.**


	8. Lea's Back!

**Lol, some of you want Lea to tell Elena off. All in due time. All in due time...**

**Chapter 8 – Lea's Back!**

When Elena got a text from Lea during her first period class, she knew she couldn't ignore it.

"_Come 2 the bathroom by the lunchroom. Need 2 tlk 2 u." _

Granted, them talking in a bathroom seemed a little weird, but Elena wasn't going to complain. She and Lea didn't even look each other in the eye for the past two months and that was killing her. She wanted her friend back. She wanted everything between them to be okay again.

But she didn't see any traces of Lea inside the bathroom. The only thing keeping her company were the empty stalls, the sinks lined in a row, and the low hum of a heater placed in a corner.

"_Where r u?"_ she texted back to her, growing a bit antsy at what was to come between them. Elena knew Lea was mad at her. Mad was probably an understatement. After listening to the things Lea told Caroline, Bonnie, and Stefan about her, she couldn't imagine just what would happen once Lea talked to her face to face. And she wasn't sure how she'd react to Lea's insults. Damon may have been teaching her how to control herself, but she still wasn't in full command of her actions and emotions. The last thing she wanted to do was start a fight. In a filthy bathroom no less.

"_Five minutes. Teacher is being a jerkoff. Won't let me leave." _

Okay, Elena could do this. In five minutes she'd be face to face with someone who hated her and blamed her for the deaths of everyone. Didn't Lea think she felt guilty enough? She didn't need to constantly get attacked though. Elena couldn't stomach all the pain she put her friends through, but there was no erasing her actions. She could only apologize.

Why was it so hot in here? God, it was stuffy. Becoming a victim to the sudden influx in temperature, Elena turned on a sink, letting the cool water pool in her cupped fingers. She let the water wash over her face and alleviate her sudden sweaty state.

But as she opened her eyes, she staggered backwards at the sight that over took her vision.

Scribbled where her reflection should've been were the words, "I KNOW YOUR SECRET!" in what looked like blood. It streamed down the glass like raindrops on a window and stained the porcelain sinks until it dripped onto the floor.

Who could've know her secret? Damon made sure no one found out about them being together. Who figured it out? Oh god, was it Stefan?

This was a sign that Elena couldn't do this. She couldn't go through seeing Lea. Not right now. Running to the exit door, her legs stopped functioning upon seeing more words written in crimson streams of blood.

STEFAN WILL HATE YOU!

It took her to find an inner strength that she didn't know existed to ignore the jabs and she twisted and turned on the knob like a mad woman. She pulled and pushed and banged on its body, her hands now stained red from the scribble, but it didn't budge. She was confined inside this hell. Forced to face her demons head on.

The lightbulbs above her head shattered and cascaded to the ground like deadly pieces of confetti, each nicking her exposed skin as she tried defending herself.

She waded through the darkness, moving to the bathroom stalls for help. But like the door she once tried escaping from, each and every stall was locked shut. They didn't even crumble beneath her using every bit of vampiric strength she had to knock it down. Not only that, but they too had insults and taunts written on the face of the door.

She wished she weren't a vampire so she weren't able to decipher the words.

SLUT

TRAITOR

WHORE

MONSTER

"I-I'm sorry," she screamed, running away from the doors only to slip and crash onto the merciless floor now soaked from the overflowing faucets. Elena could only lay in the blackness, tears camouflaged by the flood of water drowning her. "I didn't mean to. Please stop this. I won't do it again. Please."

No one listened. No one heard her continuous screams and cries coming from outside the bathroom. Where was Lea at? She could've saved her! Please, she wouldn't sneak behind Stefan's back. She wouldn't continue seeing Damon. She's tell everyone about what she'd been doing. All she wanted was for this to stop.

"Elena! Elena! What's wrong!" The sounds of Lea's voice engulfing her snapped Elena's eyes open and every piece of torment she'd experience just now was nonexistent. Every single thing had reverted back to its old self, spiking Elena's fear. The water on the floor wasn't there anymore. Her body and the walls were no longer bloodied. The sinks were turned off. The stalls were open. The lightbulbs were no longer shattered and the temperature was at a normal degree.

It were as if nothing had happened. Like she'd just had a terrible dream and nothing else. That she'd been hallucinating.

"What?" she cried, looking into the big hazel eyes of Lea's that had nothing but concern in them. "What happened."

"You were lying on this nasty ass floor in the fetal position, screaming about how you were sorry and that you wouldn't do it again," she said, offering a hand for Elena to take and pulled her onto her feet as she did.

Fuck. She heard her yelling that. That meant questions would be coming. Right. About. Now.

"What was that all about? What are you sorry about?"

Elena took in her hands that shook relentlessly and felt her heartbeat quickening so much that she swore it was going to explode. Was that just her subconscious getting to her? It had to have been. There was no other explaining it.

"I'm really sorry about the way we've been." Elena pulled Lea into a hug, further emphasizing her sorrow and guilt. She hated having to cover up what'd just happened to her but the last person who needed to know about her business was Lea. She'd go nuts. Besides, Elena was technically telling her the truth. She _was_ really sorry about the way things had been between the two. "I just want us to be friends."

"That's what's got you collecting god knows how many germs on the floor? You and me?" Lea hugged her a little harder. She bought it. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about."

Pulling away, Elena looked into the mirror that had just caused her horrification. Now it was just a regular mirror, showing her reflection, and her awful new hairdo. Laying on the ground had it looking like a bird's nest.

"I just wanted to say that I've been acting like a really big bitch-"

"You haven't done anything wrong. It was me."

Lea waved her off. "Really. I have to say this. I've said a lot of awful things about you and I woke up today thinking about how short life is, for me at least, and how I didn't want our friendship to be ruined over something so stupid. I'm sorry."

Wow. She wasn't expecting that at all. She'd been expecting her to yell and cuss her out or even hit her. But Lea was actually being the bigger person here.

And it was only downplayed because Elena still had no idea about what just happened to her. She knew it was a stupid hallucination. She knew it was just her mind coaxing her into telling the truth. But it still had frightened her. Would this continue until she told Stefan the truth.

"It's fine. Really. I understand exactly where you're coming from and why you wouldn't want to speak to me ever again. I'm just glad that, you know, you do." Elena let off an awkward laugh to fill the tension in the room. Except the tension was only one-sided.

And Lea picked up on it. "Seriously, something else is bothering you. Do you want to talk about it?"

Elena couldn't. She couldn't speak a word of this to anyone but Damon. He'd have some encouraging words for her hopefully. "No really. I'm fine. Just panicking for my biology test third period."

Laughing, Lea ran her hands through her chin length blonde hair. "You mean the test that right now I'm skipping. Shit's hard."

Elena genuinely smiled. They were slowly getting back to their old selves. "Thank you for the...herbs you made for me and Stef."

She couldn't tell if they were working or not because she'd been feeding from humans. Something else Lea was to never find out. Lea would kill her if she did.

"Awww! Y'all smoked it without me!" she pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. "It was powerful ish though. It helped right?"

Elena told another half-truth. "They're calming Stefan down."

"Aight, well..." Lea glanced down to the floor. "I have to go back to my class and cheat some more off Chris. But I do want to hang out with you all soon."

"I know what'll do the trick. Sleepover!" Elena still couldn't believe Lea had come to her senses so quickly. It was nice of her. "We'll get the girls over at my place and we'll have one. We haven't done anything like that for a few years now. I think we're seriously overdue."

It would be just like old times. They'd gossip, do each other's hair, watch movies, be actual teenagers again. Everything Elena wanted.

"Sleepover it is." Lea gave Elena another quick hug before making her way over to the exit. "Just make sure Caroline doesn't bring over Titanic for us to watch. Don't nobody wanna watch that long, sad-ass movie."

"I won't let her. Besides, it's your turn to pick the movie. And Caroline said no Tim Burton or that one other guy you like." They all had such different movie tastes that they ended up not watching movies anyway.

"Quentin Tarantino. Got it," she said, leaving Elena once again alone in that creepy fucking bathroom.

So something good and something bad happened today for Elena.

Lea was back.

But Elena may have been losing her mind.

God, she needed someone to eat.

**C . B . D **

**Not what you all expected I'm sure. But Lea ain't gonna just come out of the woodwork and attack Elena. Oh no. Elena's gonna admit to it. **

**Next chapter: Lot's of options. Delena. Stelena. Damon and Lea. Or Stefan and Lea.**


	9. Really, Lea, Really?

**First, I'd like to say that VD totally made my night when I watched the recent episode and watched Bonnie give her friends herbal weed. Lea did that shit a few chapters ago, girl. Thusly, my love of Bonnie and Lea's friendship had be solidified. **

**Next on the things I'd like to talk about. **

**It seems as if this story isn't very liked. Lol. **

**Bad Blood! A community dedicated to highlighting the worst VD fanfics on the site. This story is now a part of said community.**

**Oh how funny this is to me. How I have five VD/OC stories out and somehow only the Damon/OC ones get added. It tickles me deeply.**

**You know, I could throw some epic Darth Vader type shade and read that community for filth... but alas, I'm only going to give a Kanye West shrug, get some serious lolz from this, and take the high road. **

**But I would like to say thank you to the dude who added my story. I've gotten more alerts and recognition because of it.**

**Chapter 9 – Really, Lea, Really?**

Damon listened to Elena ramble about what'd happened to her not four days ago, wishing that she would give him a moment to speak his mind. She was so caught up in her little hallucination story that she'd completely forgotten that they were having a conversation. As in one person talks, the other listens, and then vice versa. But no, they weren't having a normal discussion, Elena was ranting on and on and on.

It was clear who was the culprit of all of this and how it escaped the brunette was beyond him. She should've been smart enough to know that she wasn't experiencing backlash from her subconscious and that someone, a close friend, put a spell on her. God, Elena only could see the good in people and didn't have a suspicious bone in her body. He hated that about her. She was only supposed to see the good in him and him only.

Aaliyah James.

She was ruining everything he tried so hard to get.

And how she found out so quickly about his trysts with Elena was perplexing.

He did have to admit, she set Elena up on a nice trap. Had Elena not shown a reaction then none of this would be happening.

Hmm... well maybe it was a gift that Elena had no clue that Lea was behind this. Didn't want the two of them facing off did he? Don't get him wrong it would be an interesting fight to watch, but he definitely didn't want Elena piecing together that he'd been talking to Lea behind her back. Or that he'd been somewhat flirting with her. With how raw Elena's emotions had been since her transition the last thing he needed was for her to get angry at him or Lea.

And then permanently go back to his brother.

Fuck, another reason why he didn't want to waste another minute listening to Elena gripe – he had to stop Lea from running her mouth to Stefan which he knew she would. Because that would be bad. Very very bad.

"Damon, are you listening to me?" Damon's eyes stopped peering into the empty contents of his bourbon glass and switched to that of the heavily distraught vampire sulking in the seat next to him. "You're not are you?"

"Yes I am," he responded, trying to cover his annoyance with a taunting smile. He wasn't annoyed with _her_ per se, but the fact that his plan was blowing up in his face. "Walls dripped blood calling you a whore. Faulty faucets overflowed. Glass shattered. You think it was your subconscious. See I was listening."

He really needed to get out of here and talk to Lea. And by talk he meant threaten. Except he knew that wouldn't work. Threats didn't mean anything to her and would only make matters worse. He had to think of a different alternative, but he didn't know any route that would prove useful.

Fighting: He didn't want to hurt Lea or get a spell placed on him.

Arguing: Lea would inevitably tell Stefan.

Talking Like Adults: Nah. Neither of them were very mature or liked to listen. Talking would result in arguing, which would lead to fighting, which would lead to them both hurting.

Seducing: He may have tried this tactic back when he wasn't messing around with Elena, but now if he tried that things would become messy. And not the messy he liked.

FATS. Fighting, arguing, talking, seducing. Those were the methods he usually followed, though not necessarily in that order.

"I just don't know what to do," Elena sighed, wrapping her arms around her petite frame as if she were freezing. Her sulky-sulky attitude had to go – now. She was becoming a drag.

"Let me handle it. I'll fix everything. As always." Damon tried kissing her metaphorical boo boo to make her feel all better. And It did. She perked up like a dog and a weary half-smile was beginning to form on her pouting lips. He was happy to see that not only Stefan had the power of assuaging a distraught Elena. "First, you and I need to take a break."

That sucked.

"You're breaking up with me?" She made it seem like it were impossible before catching herself and giving him a solemn nod. "You're right. I need to sort myself and this situation out. This is a sign that we can't be doing this any longer."

This was a sign that Lea had to go.

"You know everything you need to know about finding victims and how to drink in moderation so you'll do fine hunting without me. And if you can't find a victim, just drink from she-who-must-not-be-named." He didn't even want to risk saying the girl's name aloud. That's how paranoid he became recently. "And it wasn't like we were together anyhow. We were creepin' around remember."

And it was fuuuuuuuuuuuuun. She was his midnight booty call whenever he decided to give her a ring. Her becoming a vampire made her a lot more free. He liked it.

"Wow. You sound like Lea when you say that."

He couldn't control his snarl after hearing her say that. He didn't speak like Lea, Lea spoke like him. She stole his persona. Glib, sarcastic, badass – that was his thing. And obviously she plagiarized. "Remind me to insult you for that later because right now I have to go."

"Go? Where? You can't go anywhere near Mystic Falls without risking being caught."

Questions, questions, questions. Why did she have to ask them and get lied to?

"I'm not going to blow my cover. Besides, I'm heading out of the state." Lie number one.

"What do you have to do out of state?"

"We need to stay away from each other. If we take a break and I'm still in town you'll just eventually relapse and come see me when you're inevitably missing me." Lie number two.

"Yeah, but right now?"

"The more we're near each other, the worse our chances are of being caught. Don't worry, I'll be fine wherever I am." Lie number three.

And she bought the entire thing.

* * *

Damon didn't even take a full step into Lea's driveway before she spotted him, thusly began their downward spiral.

"Damon, I've been waiting for ya buddy." She smiled upon just feeling his vibrations wafting through the Wintery air. She didn't even need to look up and see who her intruder was and went on instinct. All he saw of her were strands honey blonde hair blanketing her features as she sat on her porch, Indian style, a myriad of books laid out before her. She was too engulfed in her studying to look at him. Peering into her AP English book, she quickly scribbled information in her notebook. "Elena went running her mouth off to you today I assume."

Her voice, that carried a tune more jovial than a Christmas carol, was incredibly unnerving. She wasn't shying away from admitting what she did and that she took joy in her wickedness.

"Thought she was your friend." He tried to play the guilt-trip card. Maybe that would help his situation.

His supersensitive hearing earned him the privilege of listening to Lea gnarl and murder the tip of her pen. He could feel each bite she took into that poor writing utensil and hear the pen molding into something unrecognizable between her teeth. That alone made the hair on his arms raised.

"And I thought you were my friend. But lookie lookie here's a new cookie, we were both wrong."

Don't try his own guilt scheme on him. Unlike you, Lea, Damon's remorse shriveled up long ago.

"I _am_ your friend, Lea. Just like Elena is and yet you still want to fuck with her."

"You both just have a shitty way of showing it then." There was something else intermingling with the happiness in her tone. Something she was trying hard to cover up. He could hear in every now and again when her voice would tremor or break in pitch. Did he hurt her feelings? Was she more so mad at him than she was Elena? "I should've known you were still seeing her. Instead I thought you were just into me. What a fool I was."

She wasn't doing this to punish Elena, she was doing this to punish him. Because he actions upset her more than Elena's did.

Dammit, her guilt reversal may have been working.

"I didn't want you to find out like this."

He didn't want her to find out at all.

"You didn't want me to find out at all." Well, no use in lying to her there. "And were never gonna tell me."

He wasn't. And he knew it made him the biggest asshole in the planet. He knew it made him selfish to put himself and his benefits above the only other girl he somewhat had feelings for, but he did it anyway. And he wouldn't take it back. She knew his behavior, she knew how he was, how she could still be surprised over his actions wasn't his fault. Especially with how much he fought and clawed to get Elena. He worked hard to transform her hate into the same love he had for her and he wasn't going to apologize for it. "You can't tell Stefan about this."

He made it sound like a plea rather than the threat he wanted to say. Lea wouldn't react well to his threats. Lea, responded well to begging. And if he had to beg to keep Elena...

Nah. He wasn't gonna beg. But he damn sure wasn't going to give her an ultimatum.

"I'm not."

"You aren't?" he blurted before he had the chance to say something more intelligent. That was something out of the ordinary. That wasn't in her character. Lea only kept secrets that in the end benefitted her. For her to do him a favor like this, despite him being a dick to her, was too good to be true.

"Nope. But Elena is." Now she was reverting back to her old self.

"What makes you think I'd let her do something like that?"

"Because the spell I put on her isn't going to let up until she does. Her hallucinations will get worse and worse unless she tells Stefan and only Stefan the truth."

Shoving his hands into the depths of his black pockets, Damon laughed at her stupidity. "I'll have Bonnie reverse it before that even happens."

"That would mean revealing you didn't hold up your end of the bargain with Stefan. Not only that, but you'd have to tell Bonnie why she needed to do the spell in the first place. You of course would lie, she wouldn't buy it because she sees through your shit, and then she'd ask me. And I'd tell her the truth. Next plan?"

"I'll tell Elena everything you told me and have her fight you."

She returned the same laugh he gave not two minutes ago, as if she were amused by _his _stupidity. "I've been waiting to beat her ass for a long time."

Bitch. "Then I'll-"

"Listen, Damon, your method ain't working at all. Talking isn't working and arguing isn't going to work. So now you have seducing me or fighting me. And I'm not in the mood to deal with your limp dick right now."

How did she know of the FATS method? "Are you offering to fight me?"

That wouldn't be a first in their dysfunctional relationship.

"The only other alternative of reversing that spell is to kill me, so you make your choice. What's more important to you? Killing me and keeping your secret safe, or letting the truth be known so you and I can go back to being friends."

He wanted her friendship. She was the only person in the town who he considered a friend even if they did have one hell of a love-hate relationship.

But their friendship was overshadowed by his love for Elena.

And if he had to kill her to keep Elena and his secret safe... she wasn't giving him much of a choice then now was she? She had an open death wish and he'd give it to her regardless of their mutual liking.

Speeding towards her to give her a painless death, the only one in pain was Damon. He never even made it to the steps that lead up to where she was before a spine crippling pain surged throughout him. He felt a white-hot shock circuit through every vein, every muscle, every orifice, of him until his body was jolted backwards, reeling through the air before smacking onto the pavement.

He tried to fight through the currents of electricity that flowed throughout him but strangely enough, he found that he couldn't move anything from the neck down. All he could do was stare into the midnight blue sky and listen to Lea humming nursery rhymes as she made her way over to him.

"I'm hurt. I truly am. That bullshit you were spitting to me a week ago. About how I was the only one that stopped us from happening and that you really wanted me. I almost fell for it," she said, her face overtaking his sight of the skies. While normally he'd make compliments on how hot she was, all he saw was the devil right about now.

"So you can't fight your own battles huh?" he grit through the never ending pain. He should've known she had something witchy (why did she insist on being called a voodooist?) up her sleeve.

"All I did was set up an invisible forcefield around the perimeter of my house that bugzaps all vampires named Damon. You were stupid enough to bumrush into it. Impulsive fuck."

She didn't give him much of a choice.

"And I'm not actually hurt. Because at the end of the day, I win. Stefan in the end will know the truth, Elena will be outted as a piece of shit, and you'll be hated. Which you already are. I don't know why you're protecting her. She's using you and you're allowing her to."

"She's not using me." He didn't expect her to understand his relationship with Elena. Not when she was clearly this blinded by jealousy. There wouldn't be any convincing her.

"Oh she isn't? You really believe she wants you over Stefan? If she did then why is she lying to him."

"To spare his feelings."

"Bullshit. He's big boy, he can handle the truth. You, on the other hand can't." She could say whatever she wanted, it wouldn't help her situation. Damon would be with Elena and she'd be the black-sheep.

Kneeling down even further to him, Lea positioned her mouth to his ear. And while he normally would've enjoyed the gesture, currently he couldn't have been more peeved. He wanted to rip this girl apart but couldn't even lift a finger. "But I'll tell you it anyway. Why don't you want Elena to tell Stefan? Is it because you care about your brother? Is it because you care about your reputation along with Elena's? No. It's because as soon as this gets out, you know Elena will go back to Stefan and leave you as if you two didn't even exist. The same way she did you when Stefan went back to his good boy ways."

She knew he feared that happening. That the one shred of happiness he had would be ripped away from him and given back to his ever so popular brother. He lose his fucking mind is Stefan won once again. Stefan always managed to be the victor even when he didn't deserve the title. For Christ's sake, the man became a ripper, and yet, they still made Damon out to be the bad guy. He couldn't fucking take it anymore. The injustice was eating at him and all he wanted was his shot at bliss. "You hate to see me happy."

"No," she sighed. "I hate to see you fooling yourself. What you have with her isn't real. If you actually won her, you and I wouldn't be having this conversation. I'd be leaving you two the fuck alone. But I care about you way too much to let your kid yourself and watch her play you. And in the end, when you're crippled... metaphorically in this instance, by her choosing Stefan all you'll have is me in the end. Balance will once be restored."

Even in her own, twisted, seriously fucked up way, she was trying to look out for him and have his back. She wanted to see him win Elena fairly and didn't want his 'feelings' to get hurt. It was kind of her, and really different, having someone look out for him even when he didn't deserve it. But God, she was so damn stubborn.

He no longer wanted to have this conversation with her. It was depressing and he wasn't a depressing kind of guy. He'd leave that to his younger brother.

"If I hated seeing you happy, Damon, I'd just stop talking to you because I know just how much you love seeing my face."

"Well what can I say, Aaliyah, next to Folgers in my cup, your face is the best part of waking up."

They filled the hate quota of their relationship today, now it was time for them to make up. Just like that. No apologies. No boo-hoos.

"You know just how to seduce a woman, Mr. Salvatore."

He let out a strained laugh that was overcome with a throbbing agony and despair. His fucking body hurt like hell. "When will this wear off?"

She bit her lip, a sign that bad news was to come. "I think I may have made my spell a little too powerful...so you might be paralyzed for the rest of the night."

"No. You're going to get me out of this hell and you're going to do it now."

"You'll be as good as new tomorrow."

"Lea..."

"Don't even try to threaten me, you can't move. Tomorrow, you'll be fixed. Promise."

What was he supposed to say to change her mind? All he could do was lay there like a dead carcass. "Well at least get me out of the public eye. Your plan will be all for nothing if someone sees me."

She gave a throaty sigh like she were in some kind of discomfort. She wasn't the one on the ground stuck. She wasn't the one with her body rebelling against her? What was the problem. "You can't just lay there for a while? I've gotta study and now you want me to reverse this bugzapper spell?"

"I want you to take me home so I can be a vegetable in privacy."

"Oh that's too much of a time consumer. That's more time than switching the spell. You're staying here with me."

He blinked. "Are you about to take advantage of me?"

"The jig is up, huh? You caught me. All I want to do is have dirty tetraplegic sex with you," she mocked him.

He may have been unable of moving, but he still had his wit. "Well, my dick can still get hard so you're in luck."

"In all seriousness, you're staying in my basement."

He once again blurted something out before his mind had the chance to think of something clever "What?"

Her new found enthusiasm didn't falter because of his confusion however.

"Slumber party time!"

**C . B . D **

**Yooooo, y'all like Kol/OC, Klaus/OC, Elijah/OC stories? If so, then subscribed to my community, The Original Community. It's based strictly on Mikaelson/OC stories and somehow it's made its way into the top ten VD communities. While I never thought the response to it would've been this great, now that I see it is I'm trying to at least be in the top five. **

**Next on my list. **

**The inevitable creation of pairing names. **

**We need a Damon and Lea couple name.**

**And a Stefan and Lea one. **

**Some already created...**

**Damon and Lea: Lemon (my fav), Dalea, Damlea.**

**Stefan and Lea: Stelea, Stefalea, Lefan. **

**Look, I just want a sexy as Stefan Lea couple name that can rival Lemon. Tis not possible. **

**Next Chapter: Stelea? **


	10. Oh What a Tangled Web We Weave

**A very special shoutout is due to Miss IgnitingFireworks for the two beautiful banners she made for this story. If you want to see a peak of one of them, check out my story's book cover. If you want to see the full creations of both of them, they are on my profile. **

**Chapter 10 – Oh What a Tangled Web We Weave**

"Get the fuck out!" I screamed, hoping the entire damn street could hear me. I may have been inside my home, but I wanted every single person in Mystic Falls to know that my boyfriend, well, ex-boyfriend, was a flaming piece of shit.

He took a step back, the both of his hands sliding down his face as if he were exasperated. How could he have been the upset one? He didn't get cheated on did he? "You're being really fucking stupid right now. You're not even listening to me."

I didn't want to listen. I didn't want to listen to his lies and his bullshit. And I didn't want to hear him make excuses and attempt to cover up what he did. Not only that, but I had a fucking paralyzed Damon Salvatore still stuck in my basement. I didn't want him hearing this shit. God, just my damn luck. He'd never let me live this down.

"What else is there to say?" Sighing, it took everything inside of me to not go off the deep-end and put some heavy wicked shit onto him. I'd put a curse on him so bad, he'd beg someone to kill him. You know what, I didn't even have to do that. It was really simple - I'd a spell that would make his dick small. Well... smaller. That was all there was to it. "You cheated on me with some cheerleading slut."

"She wasn't a cheerleader, she's on the basketball team."

"Oh that makes me feel soooooo much better! To know that you cheated on me with a lesbian. Goddamn you, Chris-"

My sentence was overshadowed by the irritating jingle resounding throughout my house. That irritating jingle was the doorbell. Someone was here.

Not for long they weren't.

"NO ONE'S FUCKING HOME!"

And that was me being as polite as I possibly could. How dare someone interrupt my fight with this douchebag? I know they heard us arguing. Whoever was at my door trying to be nosey could go to hell.

"I'm really really sorry, Lea," Chris pleaded once more. But I'd seen this routine before. Men were all alike. They were so full of themselves and thought that a simple, 'I'm sorry' could change things. That just because they regretted their decision that mean they were supposed to be forgiven. I wasn't having it. And over someone like Chris? When I had dudes like Stefan and Damon telling me I could do better? Hell naw, I'd never go back with him. "It was an accident."

A boisterous laugh exploded from me, and I almost fell over from cracking up so hard. "You should be a comedian, man. You really should. What, your dick accidentally fell inside her."

Very slowly, at a snail's pace, Chris slowly began raising his hands and shrugging his shoulders like a child. And he gave me what he thought would be a charming smile. "Sure?"

Oh, I was going to kill the fool.

After I screamed once more at the asshole ringing the doorbell repeatedly.

"I SAID NO ONE'S FUCKING HOME!"

Some people were so rude.

I opted to give Chris one more chance before I got violent. Or put that spell I was planning on him. "Chris, it's over. We're through. Leave."

He still refused to make things easy for him. "I'm not leaving. Not until you give me a chance to explain."

"Do as she says and leave," said Stefan Salvatore, revealing himself as the intruder ringing my doorbell. I guess he decided to just barge in instead of leaving me alone. I wasn't sure if I minded his intrusion right now or not.

He collared Chris, yanking him over to meet his gaze. It was funny though since Chris was getting manhandled by someone significantly shorter. "You're going to go home and forget you ever were with Lea. She's just that one girl you have biology with. Nothing more."

Stefan didn't even ask me if it were okay to compel this dude. He just took the liberty to do so. Well, there wasn't any reversing it now. I was gonna at least get a good deal from out of this. "And make him gay."

"I'm not making him gay."

"DO IT!"

"Go home." Stefan threw Chris away from him and he stumbled backwards, eyes fluttering as if he didn't have any clue as to what had just happened to him.

He didn't say a word to either of us. Not a damn thing. He just looked incredibly perplexed as he pulled on his hoodie and left the both of us.

And like that, Aaliyah James was now single.

Why was this so much harder than I anticipated.

I mean, I wanted him to leave. I didn't want to deal with his ass anymore. But Christ, my heart weighed about a ton right now.

Ugh, and now Stefan was here to see me all saddened. He wasn't supposed to see me like this.

"Are you okay?" He scratched the back of his head. An awkward gesture for a time like this. "He's a tool and you were out of his league."

I laughed, trying hard to cover up my achy breaky heart. "Of course I am. Because I'm beautiful, y'know? I'm beautiful like diamonds in the sky."

Rihanna sure did have catchy songs. Trashy, but they always got stuck in your head.

"Do you want me to leave you alone?"

I shook my head.

"Do you want to go somewhere with me?"

I nodded, hoping Damon was hearing all of this. I didn't need him to have my back because Stefan always would. Stefan wasn't a traitor and cared about my feelings.

"Come on, let's go."

* * *

"They're not gonna want to watch, 'Do the Right Thing', Lea."

I waved Stefan off. He was totally wrong about this. He only knew these girls for a few years, and while that may have been the case for me too, we've been acquaintances since birth! So I knew them better than he did.

Caroline and Elena would be open to different kinds of movies to watch at our slumber party. "They're gonna love it."

Stefan continued to insist otherwise. "They won't. Especially Caroline. Elena will watch it just to make you feel better about your horrible movie choice. But she'll hate it. Only you and I love it."

Ahh, the fond memories of Stefan and I watching the Spike Lee joint together. He saw it in my expansive collection of movies and commented on how it was one of his favs, along with anything by Scorsese. That man was full of secrets and amazingness, I'll tell ya.

"Twenty bucks says they do," I said, slapping a twenty dollar bill on the table.

He gave me that closed-mouth smile of his and had we not been sitting in a booth, my knees would've weakened a little. Dammit, I'd been single for two seconds and already I was getting all swoon-like for Stefan. Who was Elena's boyfriend! Well... for now.

"You already owe me three bagillion."

He just had to bring that up. That wasn't the least bit fair.

"I owe you a little under that now. You owe me at least three grand for bringing Caroline and Bonnie over your house when you tricked me, you schemer."

"It was for your own good and you know it. You know how stubborn you get"

I scoffed, pretending to be highly offended by his little insult. But that was until I brought my drink up to my lips and said an off-kilter remark before taking a swig of it. "Just one of the things we have in common."

"I'm not stubborn."

Yeah. That got to him. Stefan hated being called anything negative. He tried too hard to maintain his good boy status and hide his faults from us all. But I peeped that shit out.

"Oh yes the hell you are. More than Damon is." Which was really something, huh? Damon was surprisingly not that hard to persuade.

"What?"

"Really, Stef, you can't admit to you having a negative trait that your brother doesn't."

"I would if it were true."

"How many times have you ever gone through with a plan Damon wants? You don't. Damon always accommodates for you. You're always stuck in your ways and it's hard to make you do something another person wants."

"Are you calling me selfish?" he asked, eyes squinting as he tried to process my words. As if being selfish was just completely out of his character.

"It is a little bit. But oh no, Damon is far more selfish than you could ever be, and so is Elena."

And here came the part where he stuck up for his cheating girlfriend.

"Elena's probably the most selfless out of all of us."

"She can be more selfless than me, I don't really care. But she damn sure ain't more selfless than Bonnie. Case closed."

Man, I should've told him about her and Damon being together, but I didn't want him to hear it from me. What would Caroline have done in my shoes? She would've told him. And Bonnie would've tried to talk sense into Elena and have her do the right thing.

Wasn't that such a good title? Do the Right Thing?

That was gonna get to Elena. Hard.

I was stuck in the middle. I didn't know whether to go the Caroline-route or the Bonnie-path. So like a straight up G, I combined both.

"Oh, and I see what you're trying to do. You're trying to deflect the conversation from you."

He held his hands up as if I were holding him at gunpoint. "I'm doing no such thing."

"Mhm. You still selfish."

"I suppose everyone is a little bit."

"Whatever makes you sleep at night, Salvatore."

"Hand it over."

Jaw crashing onto the table of the coffee shop we were in, I'm sure Stefan saw all the coffee cake I crammed inside there. "What?"

"You're not gonna insult me after I bought you beaucoup coffee cake and cocoa. I'd like them back."

Little did he know, I had Damon doing the same thing for me. But unlike Damon, Stefan didn't make fun of me being a Fatty McFatso for wanting coffee cake to go along with my drink. Instead, he encouraged me to be gluttonous and said money was not an option – that he'd buy me the entire menu if I wanted it.

Damon could suck it.

I was pimping the Salvatores out for hot chocolate and delicious deserts.

And the cocoa at Java the Hut was indeed the business.

Java the Hut was this new coffee shop that sat on the outskirts of Mystic Square. It was basically a Starbucks for loners. You wouldn't really see the 'in-crowd' hanging around these parts. Nope. This was a place for misfits or stray artists who wanted to escape the real world. A safe haven for the nerdy and odd.

So why were Stefan and I coming here?

Because we could discreetly talk about our problems without worrying about someone listening in.

"Are you deaf?" Stefan asked and like an asshole, he proceeded to talk to me in sign language.

I swear, sometimes he could be a bigger douche than his brother.

"Finder's keepers, loser's suck," I said, and to trump is douchebaggery, I took a loud slurp of my chocolaty drink.

"How am I doing? Am I entertaining you enough to keep your mind off your problems?"

"Don't bring 'em up!" It was beyond nice of him to care. Though I already expected he would. As the Salvatore's second favorite, it was their duty to care for me. It was a nice position. "But yes, I'd say that you're doing a swell job."

"I didn't know how to break it to you that he was... doing what he'd been doing."

He knew?!

"Was that why you continuously hinted at how I deserved better than him?"

He nodded.

Goddammit! Well this all made perfect sense now. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"You needed to find out on your own."

Well, that made my decision all the more clear. While I should've been more concerned with him knowing and not telling me, all I could do was see how oddly this mirrored the situation he was in. Stefan knew Chris was cheating on me and decided to let me find out on my own. I knew Elena was cheating on him and now my decision had practically been made for me.

But wasn't this just the perfect time to bring up a hypothetical. "If I were in your shoes, would you want me to do the same to you?"

"That would never happen." He laughed.

"But if it did. Humor me. What would you want me to do?"

His smile subsided and his lips were now set in a hard line as he pondered my question. He blinked his green eyes before scratching his head. "It would be your call. I think I'd been too upset to really care. But I would expect Elena to have enough respect for our relationship to tell me herself. Then again, she would never to something like that to jeopardize what we have. I love her and she loves me."

This whole situation was a fucking downer. So much so that I didn't even want my fucking tasty treats any more.

This was so screwed up. Now should've been the time to tell him. To confess about everything. But my feelings and loyalty were in a tug-of-war from hell right now.

I could've told Stefan and spared him from risking more pain than what he'd have now. Rip the bandaid off quickly and bring everything to light. But by doing that that meant hurting Damon too.

Or I could've kept my mouth shut and let things play out naturally. Rip the bandaid off slowly. Damon could have his five minutes of 'happiness' and live in a delusion, Stefan wouldn't have to go off the deep end right now (which he didn't need since he could become a ripper again at any given minute), and Elena could come clean on her own.

But if I did it that way, still, everyone would inevitably be hurt in the end somehow.

Why did I have to be the one to learn of this shit? Why me?

"I still have to thank you for being so nice to Elena."

"Don't thank me just yet." I let out an incredibly awkward laugh.

"No, I really do have to," he said, placing a hand on mine. This touchy-feely thing that'd been happening between the two of us was unusual. Stefan had been a little more, 'hands on' with me than normally. Shit, I wasn't gonna complain though. "I know how hard this is for you and I know you're probably only doing this for me, so I think you deserve a thank you. You're being a good friend. To me and Elena."

Ugh, I was just a big ole bitch, wasn't I? Because I wasn't being friends with Elena to make him happy – okay, maybe I was. Because Stefan's smile was brighter than a Fourth of July sky. But the majority of this was to keep Elena from being suspicious of me. Though Damon could've told her at any given moment.

But that meant revealing that he'd been talking to me behind her back.

What the little conundrum we were in.

"And I need some more of the weed you made us."

"You smoked it without me! And that much already!"

"And we ate the snacks you made. You left them."

That was so not cool.

"Is it working?" I asked, seemingly interested if the cure to calming down a blood thirsty vampire was to give them a joint.

"It is for Elena."

"And you?"

"It gave me a raging case of the giggles."

My eye twitched a bit at his feminine word choice. "Men don't giggle, Stefan. They chuckle. And while I'm glad it gave you a laugh fest, have your cravings subsided."

His fingers tapped an irregular rhythm on the table as his eyes looked out the window we sat by. His gaze seemed to get lost as he peered past the walking pedestrians, the slow traveling cars, and the iridescent string of lights that spiraled around street poles. "All but one."

Whatever that meant.

**C . B . D**

**Hope everyone had a happy holiday filled with fattening foods and good naps. **

**Question: If you were in Lea's shoes, would you tell Stefan or not? **

**Next Chapter: I think it's gonna be the slumber party with Elena, Caroline, Bonnie, and Lea. **

**See you in the new year! **


	11. Girl's Night!

**Team Tell Stefan: 2 – Team Don't Tell 'Em: 2**

**So this chapter is going to read very awkwardly. The first few portions are going to be short scenes of the things Elena & CO. did at the slumber party. And then we'll have one very long one scene.**

**It's all written from Elena's POV.**

**Chapter 11** –** Girl's Night!**

**C . B . D**

"Do you guys wanna see something cool Lea and I can do?" Bonnie grinned before joining the Elena on Caroline's bed.

"This isn't going to result in us getting our energy drained right?" Elena had to ask since the spell included Lea. Wasn't that one of the things that separated a witch from a voodooist? When witches did spells they risked emptying their own strength, but when voodooist did spells, they sucked the life from others like a succubus. Anything living was expendable if Lea did magic... voodoo.

Lea shook her head. "Nope. This is perfectly safe for us all."

"Then yeah, go right ahead."

Wagging her hands and head from side to side, Lea closed her eyes. She relaxed herself – or that's what Elena thought she was trying to do– and drew in a huge amount of air. So much so that Elena saw her chest expand.

But once she exhaled, blowing her breath out like one would do after making a wish on their birthday candles, every light in Caroline's bedroom flicked out. Every lit candle, every lightbulb, even the streetlights outside flicked out, allowing pitch black darkness to envelop them.

"Ohh... so you think darkness is your ally." Lea's voice echoed throughout the blackness. "You have merely adopted the darkness, I was born in it! Mould-"

"Shut up." Caroline laughed.

Bonnie's voice was the next one to break the silence. "I'm ready, Lea."

"Aight," she said. "Let there be light."

With a burst of white rays, as if the Sun itself had exploded in Caroline's room, every light that Lea extinguished switched back on.

Except...

The weren't in Caroline's house anymore.

They were in Elena's bedroom.

How'd they do that?

**. . .**

"Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Kellan Lutz. Go," Caroline said, a proud smile popping onto her face at the choices she gave Elena.

But before she had the opportunity to answer, Lea had done so for her,

"Kill, kill, fuck _and then _marry."

Bonnie playfully pushed her, knocking the honey-blonde haired voodooist onto the floor. "It's not your turn."

"Have you seen Kellan in that Calvin Klein commercial?"

Elena hadn't. She wasn't a big fan of Kellan. She loved_ Twilight _though.

Caroline only reinforced what Bonnie said. "You do this every time and it's obnoxious, it's Elena's turn."

Lea gave a frown that resembled a child being told they could have ice cream only to find out someone ate it already.

"Um." Elena stifled her laugh. "Kill Kellan-"

"WHAT?!"

"Kill Kellan, marry R. Patz, sleep with Taylor."

**. . . **

"_Uhhhh," _Bonnie groaned, lying face first on Elena's floor. "Why did you all make me eat so much?"

Elena could see Caroline smile as she continued putting her special face mask on her. Said it would give her skin softer than a baby's and tighten up her pores until they were nonexistent. "No one told you to go on a major junk food binge."

"Don't listen to them, Bonnie," Lea grumbled. "They shouldn't have had so many delicious treats here. They want us to get fat."

"I didn't hold a gun to your head and tell you to eat five slices of pizza," Caroline teased.

The two had eaten so much too. It was almost inhuman how many wings Bonnie could eat and not get full. Or how close Lea came to breaking the powdered donut challenge all eight times she attempted it.

"Are you two going to be okay?" Elena asked, feeling her face begin to tingle from whatever was in the facial mask Caroline had concocted.

Bonnie wailed. "I think I'm gonna be sick."

Lea's cries came next. "When I die, bury me inside the Gucci store."

_**. . . **_

"Not to sound racist. But isn't this movie like, a black thing?"

Elena jabbed Caroline in the side for being completely insensitive. Caroline may not have meant it, but she could've possibly insulted her two _black _friends.

"Don't you wanna broaden your horizons?" Lea griped, hugging the dvd to her chest protectively like a mother does her child.

_Do the Right Thing. _

That really put a damper on Elena.

Because really, what was the right thing to do in her situation?

Tell Stefan that she'd been cheating on him? That would break his heart. And she'd done a mighty fine job of that in the past. She couldn't continue to go behind his back with Damon. Which was why she was glad that Damon had called them off. If even for only a while.

Or should she tell Damon she wanted to stop seeing him indefinitely? Elena didn't have it in her to crush him like that. After all this fighting he did to have her, she couldn't toss him to the side after she'd gotten what she wanted. That made her no better than Katherine.

Hurting either brother wasn't on her priority list.

But neither was living a lie. Constantly having to make excuses for leaving out late or why she was nowhere to be found was becoming a hassle.

Ugh, couldn't she just have both?

"Nobody wants to watch Do the Right Thing, Lea." Caroline folded her arms over her chest.

And what would her friends think of her? They already had mixed feelings about her being a vampire. Learning that she was a slut would've made things far worse.

"I do," Bonnie chirped in, pushing her long chestnut hair away from her luminescent hazel eyes. "I love that movie."

Everyone would hate her.

Caroline scoffed before falling backwards onto the couch, magazines catapulting onto the floor from the sudden shift in weight. "This is so unfair."

Not to mention college was just around the corner.

"Lea gets to pick the movie this time, Caroline," Bonnie said.

Their next few months together may have been their last.

"No. I'm don't think that's unfair. But how you two want me to watch this and yet, I recall a certain time when I ask you both to watch Atonement, none of you wanted to see it."

Especially with Caroline and Lea wanting to go out of state.

It was Lea's turn to gripe. "We're watching this and that's final!"

Elena had made a decision. She couldn't tell them.

"Elena, what do you think?" the sound of Bonnie's voice made Elena realize that she'd been in her own little world. Not only that, but her popcorn was burning!

"What?" Elena stammered, quickly snatching the bag of popcorn from the microwave. By the smell of it, it was still edible. She wasn't going to tell them what she absentmindedly did. They'd never let her live it down. Like how they playfully teased her about how horrible her cake turned out because accidentally baked it on convection instead of convention.

"Do you want to watch the movie Lea brought over?"

To be totally honest, she didn't. But if it meant that much to Lea then yes, Elena would watch it. A good friend would've. "Yeah, sure."

"Oh man, Stefan was right," Lea sighed, dipping her head down before becoming so consumed with anger that she threw her dvd to the floor. "Dammit!"

"What's wrong?" Elena moved from the kitchen to join them in the living room.

Lea pouted. "I owe Stefan twenty dollars now because of you all! He told me you'd both react like this."

Elena should've been head over heels by how well Stefan knew her, but her swooning would have to be put on one serious hold. When did Stefan and Lea talk on a regular?

"Since when did you and Stefan become so chummy?" Thank God for Caroline. She always asked the best of questions. Now Elena didn't have to seem like a jealous girlfriend.

Lea blinked. "Stefan and I were always cool."

But you both didn't hang out as much as you do now. Elena just didn't suspect that while she was away, Stefan would talk to Lea.

Bonnie eyed both Caroline and her, sticking up for her friend. "I guess they're not used to you hanging out so much with Stefan. We normally see you with the other brother."

Stealing the bag of popcorn from Elena's grip, Caroline crammed a handful in her mouth. "Yeah, how ya holding up since he left? We figured you'd take it the worst from the group."

Lea scratched the back of her head and let out an awkward laugh. Elena noticed. Was she not taking Damon's absence well? Did she miss him? "You guys are making it seem like I was that dude's girlfriend. Since he wanted to skip town and not offer me any kind of goodbye, then he can go fuck himself."

Another guilt trip was building inside of Elena. Another secret she hadn't told the group. That Damon hadn't left town because she asked him not to. That he'd been living twenty minutes outside of Mystic Falls for a little over a month now.

Elena had to at least tell them that. Right?

Maybe. Not right now.

"I can't believe you two were even friends," Bonnie said, spite taking over her normally feminine voice. It didn't take a theoretical physicist to know than Bonnie hated Damon. "I don't understand how anyone can like him."

"Agreed," Caroline said.

They just didn't get Damon. He wasn't that bad.

"He's not that bad when you get to know him." Lea said what was supposed to be Elena's line. "Right, Elena?"

She wanted to agree, but she couldn't. She wasn't stupid. She didn't want to make her seeing him obvious. "Damon's okay. He has a lot of growing up to do."

"What do you see in him, Lea?" Caroline asked.

Elena really didn't want to hear about this. She knew Damon and Lea had their _thing_ but that was over with now. Damon was through with her. And from what she'd seen and heard, Lea never let herself be with him. Good.

"Can I plead the fifth?" Lea sighed once noticing no one was letting her weasel her way out of it. But while Elena made it seem like she was genuinely interested, internally she was routing for Lea to beat around the bush. "When you realize why Damon acts the way he acts then he's pretty decent."

Caroline continued to drill into her. "And why does he act the way he acts?"

"Because never letting go of the love of your life for one-hundred and forty-five years fucks someone up emotionally. And then when he finally thought he had the chance to rescue Katherine, it turned out that she was never in the tomb. That she didn't care for him at all. That's fucked up dude."

Aww.

"And we're just supposed to pardon his actions because he's in pain. No. He's evil. Fuck that." Bonnie wasn't sparing Damon any of her scorn.

Lea sighed once more. "If you want to be anal about it, Stefan would be considered the evil one. Stefan can't even drink from humans without risking becoming a ripper. It's engrained in him. He's an addict. If he were to truly act like a vampire, he'd be worse than Klaus. Damon only acts like that out of hurt. Hurt feelings can heal much easier than an addict can."

This was why Elena couldn't leave either of them.

She had to help them both heal.

**C . B . D**

**Am I the only one who feels badly for Elena? Sure, what she's doing is messed up, but she's got a good heart. Somewhere. **

**Lea ain't havin' that though. She's mean as hell. **

**Next Chapter: Lemon. **

**Question: Kill, Marry, Screw! **

**Klaus, Stefan, Damon. **

**Go. **


	12. Sweet Dreams are Made of These Nuts

**These stats won't add up because some people decided to kill two people. Or screw everyone. Or screw and then marry them! Tis against the rules! **

**Klaus – 3 Kills, 2 Screws, 3 Marries**

**Stefan – 3 Kills, 3 Screws, 1 Marry.**

**Damon – 2 Kills, 4 Screws, 1 Marry. **

**Really you guys, the homicidal maniac Klaus is more marriage material than either Salvatore? Y'all better than me.**

**My turn! **

**Kill Damon because his eyeballs would bulge out if we screwed and that would traumatize me**

**Screw Klaus and make him forget all about hybrids and whatnot. **

**Marry Stefan because he's such a gentleman. **

**Chapter 12 – Sweet Dreams are Made of These Nuts**

Fangtasia wasn't a club of modesty. One might even go as far to say that Fangtasia was a mockery everything a vampire stood for. That the club owner reduced vampires to nothing but poorly portrayed stereotypes you read in poorly written novels. However, the reviews and opinions the bar garnered weren't my concern.

Only Eric Northman was.

"You wanted me, Miss James?" Eric asked, offering me only the sight of the back of his blonde head whilst he spoke to me. He sat in his chair turned away from where I was standing and my gaze shifted to various parts of his office. The boxes of Tru Blood aligned on shelves, the cheap looking rug on the floor, the couch positioned awkwardly out of sight unless you fully came into the room.

"Quit the formalities, Eric," I said, a hand flying to my hip. "You owe me one serious thank you and I came here to collect."

"A thank you?" Did he not think I deserved one? After saving his and Bill's ass from a pack of rabid were-bunnies, I would most certainly think so.

"You do know what a thank you is, don't you? It's telling your appreciation. An expression of gratitude."

He let out one of those smooth and deliciously sinful laughs he knew I loved. He knew that his laughter just hit me in all the right places. And his smile, if I saw that, that it was over.

"Let's see if I can find a way to thoroughly express my gratitude that doesn't require merely giving thanks."

And by that, Eric meant sex. Hot, dirty, long, languid sex.

Who was I to say no to that?

"But before I do, I have only one question to ask you," he said, swiveling his chair around so I could finally see those gorgeous, Nordic blue eyes of his.

Have you ever been hit so forcefully that the wind gets knocked out of you? Or the nauseating feeling that occurs after getting punched in the stomach really hard? How you think you're going to die from the crippling pain if someone doesn't help you.

Magnetize that by twenty and you got how I felt when I saw Damon Salvatore sitting the seat Eric Northman was supposed to be in.

Damon scowled at the bottle of Tru Blood clasped tightly between his fingers before shifting his eyes back up to mine. "Why does this taste like bug spray?"

I screamed, voice echoing all through Fangtasia. It was a scream so hard that I could feel my bones quivering like I was in the midst of an Earthquake. I gave a piercing cry for what felt like minutes until my entire dreamland caved in on me, sending me tumbling head first back into the real word.

Sheets, that's what had smothered out the vision of Eric Northman's office. I struggled beneath them, flapping my arms around as if I were drowning in cotton waves. My flopping persisted for at least five minutes, until I somehow found a small rabbit hole to climb through and find freedom.

"You know, I like this look on you," Damon said upon seeing my head pop from beneath my covers. "Sweating, panting, delirious. It's nice."

"What are you doing here?" I asked, sleep still having my voice in a vice grip.

Turning on his side as if to make himself more comfortable on my bed, Damon then proceeded to smooth my tangled blonde hair out of my face for me. "I came here to tuck you in, princess."

The unbelievably soft pads of his fingers barely skimmed against the curve of my face, delicately feeling its outline like an artist would his future masterpiece. His face, silhouetted by the sliver of moonlight creeping in my room, slowly traveled to my very own. To the point where I thought he was going to kiss me.

He couldn't have been serious.

And why wasn't I about to stop him?

Because I was fucking sleeping, that's why.

"And to pay you back for placing a spell on me," he whispered as if he were spilling sweet nothings from his mouth, letting the air he exhaled wash over my lips.

He was still mad about the vampire-zapper thing? He needed to let that go.

"I'm going to scream." My voice cracked. Please lord, let me not have bad morning breath.

He gave me a devious little laugh that made me and my threats shrivel and reduce to nothing. I was still wrapped inside the clutches of my drowsiness. He knew I wouldn't be thinking straight. Especially after having a dream of that fine-ass vampire, Eric.

"Go ahead. We can even play a game while you do," he chuckled soothingly in my ear. But his hand that was now lost beneath black sheets, traipsing carelessly along my barely clothed body led me to believe that Damon's intentions for me would be anything but nice. "Let's see how many bones of yours can I break before your parents get in here."

I could feel my begin heart pound at a speed my mind and body couldn't comprehend. Damon must've too, because without a moment's thought he pressed his lips against my neck in a long, torturous kiss. I wanted to moan, to give into the tantalizing feeling of his soft-as-rose-petal lips dancing across my flesh, but the fear of what he was going to do next bottled any reaction I wanted to desperately give.

I wasn't stronger and couldn't overpower him and I wasn't in the mood to try. The only thing I could think to do was say a spell. To give into the adrenaline that'd snapped me from all traces of sleepiness and put some voodoo on this monster.

"Ah, ah, ah," he said between adorning my throat with kisses. "Try anything magical and you'll external jugular will be slashed before you have the chance to utter your first syllable. That would be quite the last sight for your parents to have of you. It would surely haunt them."

I tried to still my body the best I could. Damon had lost every marble in his sack tonight. He said that he was here to pay me back, but there had to be much more to it than that. This wasn't our usual back and forth game of tricks and schemes. Damon was after something.

"Good girl." He then proceeded to run the tip of one of his incredibly sharp fangs down the length of my neck, sending a shiver to roll along my spine from both the minute pain of his canines and the growing pleasure of his hands.

Mistakenly, the moan I'd been containing slipped out of me, and Damon couldn't have been happier. Like a child opening his birthday gifts.

"You want me to bite you."

I closed my eyes, hoping that maybe if I thought about him bursting into flames hard enough, he would. Fuck, being a witch had so many more perks than a voodooist did. At least Bonnie could give those aneurysms. Here I was stuck in my own bed, a vampire threatening to both fuck and kill me, helpless.

"Damon, get the fuck out of my room." Telling him off wouldn't have worked, but it was better than nothing.

"You're not in any position to call shots," he said. "To be fair, you're not hardly in the position I want you in either."

"You want something from me."

"More than you know."

"What is it?"

He finally cut the bullshit and said what we all knew he wanted from me. "Take the spell off Elena."

And while I knew that's what he wanted, it hurt to know that he was so willing to kill me just to have it. That while our friendship may have been genuine, it was dispensable. Kill me, let me live, either way he'd be happy. That was slowly taking its toll on me.

I couldn't let that show though. No, I'd never let Damon know even an ounce of the pain he caused me. Because to be fair, I knew the way he was an expected him to change. It was only my fault. "Leave town and I will."

"You think that this is negotiable?" he spat, a bit of anger rising in him. "The deal's already been placed on the table, Lea. Take the spell off Elena and you'll live. If you don't, then..."

The hand that'd been on my body quickly latched onto my neck, and the scream I once threatened him with finally erupted from out of me. Which lasted for all but a millisecond until Damon's free hand flew over my mouth and muffled my wails.

Another thing that prevented my yelps, Damon's grip slowly tightening on my throat, promising to squeeze the life from me if I didn't cooperate. "You have five seconds to say yes before I rip your head off and use it as my new bowling ball."

I writhed and squirmed against him, my nails, fists, and feet trying to in some way hurt him.

"One."

I wasn't taking the fucking spell off. I refused to.

"Two.

Stefan didn't deserve to be treated like this and Elena most definitely didn't deserve Stefan.

"Three."

And regardless of Damon's delusional thinking, he didn't deserve Elena's treatment either. She was doing more harm than good to both of them.

"Four."

I was the only one looking out for him and here he was doing this shit to me.

"Five."

Before I gave him the chance to hurt me (I wasn't sure if he'd go through with it or not but I wasn't going to see), I immediately began nodding my head to the best of my ability. He wanted to think that I would lift Elena's spell then he could idiotically believe it all he wanted.

But there was no way in hell I was doing that. And even if I did, did he not think that I wouldn't end up telling Stefan. My loyalty didn't lie with him any longer.

"Good." Removing his hands from me as soon as he caught sight of my 'caving in', Damon sat up on my bed, no longer snuggling his body into my own. "We're friends again and I'm sorry for what I just pulled back there."

This fucking psychopath.

"And I already know you're plotting something." You're damn right! "So there's no need to fake nice."

Didn't matter if he wanted me to fake nice or not. That's what he situation called for. I wasn't going to waste my breath arguing with him, or telling him off for how shitty of a friend he was, or just how saddened he made me, I was just going to simply pay him back. He was going to get avenged in sevenfold.

"You ruined my dream of Eric fucking Northman!" Playing nice when you're bubbling over with rage and sorrow is perhaps one of the hardest things to do. Like teaching Kristen Stewart how to act.

"I didn't mean to infiltrate your little wet dream." Disgusting.

"I'd like to get back to it if you don't mind." Which was the nice way of saying, 'get the fuck out you pathetic, pussy-whipped, douchebag'.

"Fine." He stood. "I need you well rested for the morning anyway."

My curiosity bested me. "Why?"

"Seeing as though Elena thinks I'm in a different country, and you're my source of entreatment, we're going on a road trip."

I sat up off my bed, preparing to ask him why in the blue hell would he think that I'd be going on a road trip with him. But in typical Damon Salvatore fashion, he was nowhere to be found. There was no trace of him ever being in my room. Everything was left as was.

...With the exception of the stupid ass crow he left pecking at my window, trying its hardest to break the glass and infiltrate my humble abode.

He still did the crow trick?

Damons tricks and abilities didn't matter. All that did was the fact that I was going to make his life miserable. He thought that Elena had it bad? Elena's visions came every now and again. I was going to fuck with him on a constant.

Especially now that I had a piece of his hair twirling between my fingers.

Oh yes, I snatched it out his scalp when he had me pinned beneath him.

Maybe I _would _go on this road trip with him.

Because after that, it was war.

**C . B . D**

**Lemon's relationship is effed up. Damon always gotta go all out to save Elena's ass. Whatevs. **

**I miss writing Eric Northman. Haven't posted anything starring him in about eight months.**

**Question: Where should Damon take Lea for their road trip? Anywhere in the United States is an option and I'd rather write them somewhere you all would want to seem them versus me just choosing it. **

**Next Chapter: Is actually Stelena. **


	13. I Think I'm Paranoid

**Life sucks when you have to write this chapter first but all you want to do is write Lemon. **

**Speaking of which, so far, from reviews and pms, the top three suggested places for Lea and Damon to go are...**

**New York City – Which I want to do because Lea wants to go to NYU.**

**Disneyworld – This was where I was going to take them, and someone pm'd this option to me. Writing Lea nerd out would be hilarious.**

**New Orleans – Not only because Lea loves herself some True Blood, but is a voodooist. **

**Sadly, this chapter is Stelena. Meh. **

**All of this is happening while Lea and Damon are on their trip. **

**Chapter 13 – I Think I'm Paranoid**

Fighting with Stefan was by far one of Elena's least favorite things to do. You wouldn't think so by how much they'd been doing so lately. They argued more than they actually enjoyed each other's company.

No one knew that, of course. Not even Damon.

This particular heated debate was over Elena's distancing herself from Stefan.

"I can't take this anymore," Elena sighed, exhaling every bit of frustration she could. The rest turned into aloofness. "I'm not talking to you if you're just going to keep acting so self-righteously."

Stefan followed her throughout her bedroom in the Salvatore boardinghouse. Which of course, was Stefan's room as well.

"That makes perfect sense," he said, trailing her like a shadow. He was so close to her that if she were to stop even for a second, the two would collide harder than cars on a highway. "Usually the ones so used to being sanctimonious can't handle when it's returned."

She was not self-righteous!

God, Stefan needed to seriously calm down. After Elena turned, everything Damon claimed about his little brother became perfectly clear. He was holier-than-thou, broody, and presumptuous. He was such a damn know-it-all! She couldn't remember a time where he admitted to being wrong.

"You're right, Stefan. You're absolutely right about everything. That's what you want to hear isn't it?"

"No. What I'd like to hear is why you've been acting so differently since Damon left and where've you've been running off to. That would be a start."

Elena couldn't tell him that. No matter how much it pained her to be keeping a secret that severe from him. She couldn't say that she'd been acting so strangely because she was cheating on him with his brother and that's where she'd been late at night.

"I can tell you that I'm not staying here for another minute."

"No!" Stefan growled before appearing in her line of vision without a moment's thought. His hands found their way on her shoulders and his piercing gaze filled her eyes.

He'd never put his hands on her like that before.

And he thought she was one who changed.

"You're not leaving again. We're going to talk about this."

If he wanted to be hands-on then they could be hands-on.

Shoving him away, eyes wide as he seemed to so easily forget that she was a vampire, Elena snarled. "Fine then, Stefan, let's talk. Let's talk about how different someone would act once finding out that their boyfriend made a deal behind her back."

She still couldn't believe that Stefan had done that to her. That he would set Damon up to leave town the way he did. That was horrible and hurtful. He didn't even tell her until long after Damon was gone.

Or well... when Stefan thought Damon had left.

"Would it matter if you didn't have feelings for him?"

How could he ask her that. As if she wouldn't have been just upset if it were Lea leaving.

"He's my friend! I care about him. Just like I care about you, Caroline, Bonnie, and everyone else in our circle. I wouldn't want anyone to leave town and you know that."

If any one of them were gone, Elena wouldn't know what to do. The only reason Stefan would ask something like that was out of insecurity.

Were his insecurities valid though? Elena may have been furious with him, but she wasn't unfair. She didn't want to think this, but maybe their relationship wasn't as solid as she would've hoped.

"Okay, so you're going to blame sneaking out late, me never seeing you, and you always having something to do on Damon not being around? How does that make any sense?"

"I'm not blaming anything on anyone!" she cried, seconds away from pulling her hair out. "God, I'm just angry all the time you know. And hungry. Not for those disgusting deer either. I want something human."

That was another thing with Stefan. He was trying to hard to mould her into something she wasn't. He was so busy trying to revert her back into the old Elena that she had to sneak around with Damon to become who she was supposed to be.

That, and eating from animals was fucking disgusting.

"The longer you abstain from humans the better. It's been a month since you became a vampire which means you've haven't drank from a human for thirty days."

Thirty days? Try four.

Damon had taught her how to drink with modesty. She could have a snack, compel her victim to forget everything happened, and sleep with a clear conscience. And if she couldn't find anyone, she'd revert back to the one person she knew would be willing to offer her a quick drink.

"This isn't working. I can't keep doing this." Elena was brave enough to at least stand up for herself on this topic. She had to let Stefan know she was done with his vile methods of vampirism.

"Yes, you can. You're strong enough," he said, hints of the same caring and reassuring man she fell in love with resurfacing.

Only this time, his motivation and uplifting sayings only further enraged her.

Hand flying to her brow, Elena couldn't take more of this pretending to be the perfect couple any longer. "Can we just be honest here."

"Have I not been honest with you the entire time?"

Maybe. But she hadn't been.

"I dunno. Making a deal behind my back doesn't seem very honest. And neither are your reasonings for me drinking only from animals."

Elena knew her next few words were going to hurt Stefan. She could feel it. But she had to do this for her. She was done with letting him control her life. He controlled everything! Her choices as a vampire. Her friends. Hell, he was practically forcing Lea into talking to her.

Yeah, she figured that out all on her own.

"What are you talking about," he asked.

She didn't want to sugarcoat it. That would only make things worse.

"The only reason I can't drink from humans is because you don't want me to be like you. A ripper." She snatched the bandaid off quickly. "I can drink blood, Stefan. I know I can. But because you can't, because you're suffering that means you want me to too."

Everything became so quiet after she said that. A hair-raising, unsettling calm washed over the both of them. She could hear the metronome of old grandfather clock in the living room tick, that's how silent everything became.

Was he going to hit her?

"How could you even think something like that?" He blinked, mouth agape, eyes glossed with disbelief. She really did it this time. Again and again she hurt him and he never did so in return.

God, couldn't he just hit her instead of stare at her like that.

Instead of keeping the knife embedded in his back, Elena just yanked it right on out.

"Because misery loves company, that's why."

It was funny. She thought she would've been the one to give a dramatic exit, but instead, Stefan was the one who left. He didn't yell at her, or cry, or break furniture, she hurt him to a point where giving her a reaction was too good. She inexplicably and irrevocably ruined just about everything.

She wasn't going to take it back. Not this time. Everyone wanted to make her out to be the fucking villain, sans Damon of course, then she'd be the damn villain. It was a title she'd wear proudly. If sticking up for herself made her the bad guy, so be it.

"You really are something you know that?"

Elena really didn't need someone else trying to tell her off, but the voice chastising her was one she thought she'd never hear again. One that made her heart shrivel.

Skepticism casting over her, Elena turned around to see the phantom she thought was lurking her room.

"Lexi."

There she was, lying on the bed she shared with Stefan, a magazine sprawled against cotton sheets. Flipping a page tiredly, Lexi yawned. "And here I thought you were different. That maybe you actually were good for Stefan. Boy, did you have me fooled."

First the ordeal in the bathroom at Mystic High, now this.

Yeah, it was pretty safe to assume that she was going crazy. A certified wacko.

What was happening to her?

"You're wrong. I _am _good for Stefan. He loves me and I love him."

"You know who you sound like?" She laughed at her words as if she were stupid along with crazy. "Chestnut hair. Olive skin. Cutthroat personality?"

No. She was not anything like her! "I am nothing Katherine."

Katherine was only out for herself. She didn't genuinely care for the Salvatores. Not like Elena did. She didn't manipulate either of them into loving her and she didn't betray them.

Lexi didn't seem to be on the same page as her. They weren't even in the same book.

"You can keep telling yourself that. Repeat it one hundred times over and over like a mantra all you want, but that doesn't change a thing. You're just like Katherine. Hell, you're worse. At least she had the balls to admit to her wrongdoing. You think you're doing them good."

Did she have to defend herself to everybody!

Seemed like the only person on her side nowadays was Damon.

"I am. Stefan would still be a ripper-"

"If Lea wasn't here."

What did Lea have to do with Stefan not being a ripper? Was she his emotional rock like Elena was? Did she fight until she was at her wits in to pull him back into sanity? Lea could boast about many things. Saving Stefan's humanity was not one of them.

Elena didn't have it in her to tell Lexi that. She wasn't going to continuously explain herself to anyone. "Damon would be-"

"Happy. If you weren't with Damon, he'd be happy. Because deep down he knows you're only toying with him until you get bored."

That was lie number two. Damon would be miserable without her. He said that to her in more or less words. If Elena weren't with Damon, he'd be with Lea. And they all saw how that played out.

All she wanted was for everyone to be happy. But it seemed like the more and more she thought she was getting closer to that goal, the less and less joyous everyone was. She thought taking care of the Klaus problem would bring them all together, but now the group was in disarray. She thought that becoming a vampire would lead to her and Stefan spending an eternity together, now they could hardly stand five minutes together.

"I have good intentions," she said.

"Yeah, and we know where those lead you. On a one way ticket to the land down under. And trust me, there aren't cute koala bears and boomerangs where you're going."

That was it! Saying that she wasn't good enough for the Salvatores was one thing, saying that Elena's actions and intentions were malicious and that she deserved to go to hell was another.

What did Lexi know anyway? If she were so smart, how come she didn't foresee Damon killing her.

"Get out."

"You want to know how you can get me to leave?" She smiled, eyes twinkling with glee. Was she taking joy in upsetting her? "You have to tell Stefan all about the skankfest you've been having with Damon."

Deep down, Elena knew that's what eliminating all of her weird hallucinations would take. That her spazzing out was just the result of a faulty conciseness. Her guilt was eating at her.

Still, she wasn't brave enough to handle the consequences of what would happen afterwards.

"I can't, he'll hate me for that."

"I'm counting on it," Lexi laughed. "But would you rather have him suffer, or free him."

"I love him." was all Elena could reply with.

"Wow. You really are worse than Katherine. I was just trying to scare you at first but you seriously have no moral compass. Even _she _let them go." Rolling off her bed, Lexi began to skip towards Elena, her Katniss Everdeen-esque braid jouncing with every step she took. Once the two were in arm's length of each other, Lexi placed a hand on her shoulder. "Listen girly, you may be a vampire, but you've still got that poisonous Petrova bloodline haunting you. Why is it that you think Tatia and Katherine both ended up miserable and lonely, because you're cursed."

"I said get out!" Before Elena knew it, her hand was connecting with Lexi's cheek, a loud smack resounding in the tension filled air.

She slapped her.

She actually slapped her.

But whatever bit of joy she felt from letting the blonde have it was immediately overpowered with sorrow. She didn't mean to hit her. She let her emotions take over her body for a split second.

"Lexi, I'm-"

"Fine. A lady always knows when to leave," Lexi cut Elena's apology off and turned her back away from her. "But if you don't tell Stefan and soon, it only gets worse from here. Don't say I didn't warn you."

And like that, the vision of Lexi faded quicker than it came, leaving Elena all alone to think on her actions.

She was so wrong. Everything she'd been doing was so wrong. To Damon, to Stefan, to Lea.

Her visions were right. She was a terrible fucking person and was going to hell.

Shit, she couldn't take this anymore.

Elena had to tell Stefan.

**C . B . D **

**I hope I captured the annoyingness that was Elena well. Despite my disliking for her, she's still a dynamic character who is kind of hard for me to write. **

**Because she's fucking boring, that's why. **

**Cheating on Stefan has been the most interesting thing I've seen from her. **

**Question: Same question as last chapter except it's round two of where Lemon will go! **

**1. New Orleans 2. New York 3. Disneyworld**

**Where should Damon take her.**

**Next Chapter: Part 1 of Lemon's road trip! **


	14. When You Wish Upon a Star

**I know, I know, Lexi should've slapped the shit out of Elena, but Lexi is of class, I didn't want to make her lash out. **

**Especially with the hell Elena's going through as is. The girl will be having enough problems soon.**

**This chapter will be very much like the slumber party chapter where the story will be comprised of various vignettes of Damon and Lea and their time spent on their trip.**

**And yes, you can probably tell by the title where they're going. **

**I'm sorry to those who wanted Nawlins. **

**Chapter 14 – ****When You Wish Upon a Star**

If Damon still had any kind of remorse left in his undead corpse, he'd probably feel badly for treating Lea the way he did not seven hours ago.

Hell, the more and more he thought about how betrayed she must've felt by his actions, the more he _did _feel horribly.

"Leaaaaa," he drew out, shifting his eyes from the barren highway to that of the pissed off honey-blonde sitting in the passenger's seat of his car. The silence between the two had manifested for hours now. It was time they started communicating. He hated the silence.

She was his friend. His only friend now with Alaric gone, and he knew pulling that stunt would ruin just about everything between them for a while. He knew Lea. She internalized. She wouldn't tell him just how hurt she felt and would in turn bury that pain and have it manifest into rage. Which would lead to her paying him back with interest.

Lea's face tightened even further into a scowl. Her lips, painted a mouthwatering bubbleyum shade (she wasn't mad at him so much. She cared enough to make herself pretty), stuck out into a pout while her cinnamon colored eyes squinted so hard he could barely see him. That, paired along with her arms folding over each other as she sunk deeper into her seat gave Damon all the hints he needed. She wouldn't be a happy camper today. She was going to be melodramatic as usual.

Her attitude would be changing once she realized where he was taking her though.

"Leaaaaa," he pestered.

How could she be upset with him? She asked for it. Literally.

"_Talking isn't working and arguing isn't going to work. So now you have seducing me or fighting me."_

Did she not think he'd combine both?

Really, Lea should've been thanking him for choosing such a merciful option. Option B was far worse. Option B required him manipulating her feelings into thinking he was done with Elena and wanted only her. He'd make her think they were a couple and when the two were together he'd coerce her to take Elena's spell off. Then once it was off he'd leave her.

That was too harsh even for him.

That was something Katherine would do.

Physical abusive was easier to handle than emotional.

"You know, if you don't talk to me, I'll just have to find my way to entertain myself. What to do, what to do... oh, I know. I'll sing Taylor Swift for eight hours. I know how much you love her." Damon smirked, knowing that him singing his next few words would anger her so greatly, she'd had to put a stop to his bothering. "Cause you knew I was trouble when I walked in."

"I hate you," she cried, letting a off a deep and lengthy sigh.

Well, this was a start.

"You just told me a week ago that you could never hate me."

"Yeah, well, you fucked that up didn't you."

Yes he did. But she played an ample part in all of it. If she had just listened to him then none of this would be happening. If both of them weren't so stubborn then he wouldn't have to take her to his least favorite place in the Universe.

"I'm sorry."

"No you're not," she said. "You'd do it again it it meant protecting Princess Elena."

"Not about that. About Chris." He quickly changed the subject after noticing she wasn't going to accept any apology of his. Had she forgotten that he was still immobile in her basement all while they were arguing? He heard everything. "The guy was a dick."

"Well isn't that the unicorn calling the rainbow, gay."

"I'm serious." She shouldn't have had to go through getting cheated on. It would only further her insecurities about never being good enough. That Chris guy was damaging her and Damon couldn't have that.

"Spare me the condolences. Stefan took care of it."

Fuck. Damon also remembered Stefan remedying the situation before he could, thus stealing away all chances of his relationship with Lea getting closer. Just how close were those two anyway? Since when did Stefan care about Lea's love life? And why did Stefan show up at her house in the first place?

Gross. Had Damon not been living a lie he would've taken care of that situation.

"What else do you let him take care of?" he said, making it sound like a crass remark only to camouflage his growing concern.

"More than I'd ever let you."

Not the answer he wanted. "Funny thing is, you aren't joking."

"Don't sound so jealous. You've got Elena."

"Let's not bring them up. This trip is Lea and Damon bonding time. No Elena. No Saint Stefan. Got it?" He took out his phone and Lea's eyes glued to it like it were the bane of her existence. He then proceeded to turn it off and throw it in the backseat – a sign to show that for however long the two were together on this vacation, he wasn't going to be bothered by Elena. Lea was worth it.

"Bet you break your own rule before I do." Did she just roll her eyes at him? God, he hated that and she knew he did. "And besides, I don't even want to go on this stupid trip with you. Why I even agreed to do so is a mystery even the Scooby Gang can't solve."

It was because she liked him. Damon knew that, why didn't she realize it?

"When you see where I'm taking you, you'll be ecstatic. Trust me."

Curiosity elevating.

"Where are you taking me, Salvatore?"

Attention grabbed.

Time to frustrate her by stalling for another four hours. Let's see how silent she'd remain now.

"Shh, it's a surprise."

"I hate you."

**. . . **

"I love you," Lea whispered so softly, had Damon not been paying attention to her it would've went unnoticed. Her hands went to her mouth as her eyes were slick with amazement and awe. "I fucking love you more than anything in the entire world."

Just to see Lea lowering her walls that were guarded by electrical fences, guard dogs, and barbwire, and show a bit of emotion that wasn't anger or sarcasm made Damon feel like the luckiest person in the world. He literally couldn't contain his smile from erupting at her cheerful disposition.

He had done a good deed. And hearing those words from her would make his staying here worthwhile. She would've never said anything like that and meant it while within the prison that was Mystic Falls.

There was only one problem, however.

Damon. Hated. Disney World!

The discreet Mickey Mouses set up to brainwash you, the fake smiles plastered on everyone's face, the music, the overpriced food. The happiest place on Earth was hell to him.

But... he knew Lea's inner nerd was dying to go here since she'd never been. And he had to bite the bullet for her. To show to her just how much she meant to him.

"_When you wish upon a -_"

"Stop." Damon had to cut Lea's singing off before his brain exploded. "There is only one rule I have and that's no singing that song. Anything else you want to do and your wish is my command."

She gave him the _Home Alone _face as a response. Both of her hands flew to her cheeks, her mouth was as wide as a canyon and she just looked as if she didn't know what to do with herself. Macaulay Culkin would've been proud.

"There's so much I want to do in so little time."

Damon wrapped his arm around her, noticing how she didn't push him away like how she normally did.

He was back in her good graces already.

"Anything you want to do, consider it done." Especially with him being a vampire. He'd compel every last bastard in this place to let them skip lines and give discounts if he had to.

"I've got it!"

**. . . **

"I'm going to die."

"You're not going to die, Lea."

"I'm going to throw up."

"Eew," Damon scoffed, pushing her away to no avail as they sat stiffly inside uncomfortable riding seats. Did he care that the other people inside the Tower of Terror were side-eyeing him? Nope. Lea was _not_ going to throw up on him. She wanted to do this ride, she knew what was in store for her, this was her fault.

"MAMA!" she screamed as the elevator hurled downwards at a moderately fast speed. Damon expected everyone else on the ride to screech like maniacs – and they didn't disappoint – but Lea knew what it was like to move quicker than the eye could see. She'd traveled with a vampire before. This was child's play.

"We're all gonna die!" she cried as they continued to drop down, nothing but darkness engulfing them. Did she want him to scream with her? To play along as if this were a terrifying ride? He didn't want to be a drag but he didn't want to be a puss either.

Thank God the ride was over though, nothing but the idiotic Twilight-zone noise filled the air as everyone began to regroup.

"You okay?" Damon whispered.

He really hoped she didn't puke.

But she didn't, to his surprise. Instead, she began laughing as if she wasn't just calling for her mother because she thought they were all doomed.

"Let's do it again!"

**. . . **

It was time for Damon's favorite part of the day.

To drink beer.

God he needed one.

Taking Lea here was a bad idea.

So apparently she wanted to visit all four Kingdoms today because she had a feeling their trip would be getting cut short.

That meant way too much faking happiness on Damon's part.

They went to Animal Kingdom and saw a elephant with a fifth leg. Lea was disgusted and probably a bit traumatized from they.

They went on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride and Lea fangirled about Johnny Depp. Who wasn't she attracted to? Slut.

Then went to Splash mountain and Lea bitched about black's girls getting their hair wet, and didn't even respond to Damon's lewd remark about how that isn't the only thing getting wet tonight.

How did this place managed to change one of the grumpiest people Damon knew into a happy-go-lucky twit? Her entire demeanor changed. She didn't bitch, say anything sarcastic, and didn't even insult him. Did she really take into consideration his words about this trip just being about the two of them? Because his phone was still back in his car and he was planning on keeping his promise.

He wondered what Elena was up to?

Hopefully nothing involving Stefan.

"What are you doing!" Lea gasped, coming back from using the restroom.

Except... she now was wearing huge Mickey Mouse gloves that were the size of balloons.

Did she not even go to the bathroom? Was this just a set up for her to buy merchandise?

"Please tell me you didn't jack off Mickey Mouse while I was waiting for you." That would explain the hands. "And I'm drinking a beer. What's it look like?"

In a swift motion, Lea knocked over the beer in his hands and the foamy alcohol pooled around his feet.

Well, someone had reverted back to their old ways.

"You do not drink while at the Magic Kingdom!" she chastised. "You get high off the atmosphere!"

He was going to miss that beer. His inner-self was mourning at the loss of it. "Is that what you're doing? Getting high off the atmosphere?"

She blinked. "No..."

She sounded way too much like a drug addict denying they had a problem.

"These subliminal Mickeys have changed you."

"No they haven't, man!" She hit him upside the head... with Mickey Mouse gloves on.

Wow.

Gasping loudly, her hands covered her mouth as if she'd committed murder and found out she had life in prison.

"Damon, I'm so sorry-"

Why was she apologizing! She never did that.

"Who are you and what have you done with Lea James!"

**. . . **

"Take a picture!" she demanded.

"Give me a minute," Damon groaned, fiddling with her cell's camera.

Lea turned to Mickey Mouse, sorrow spread across her face. She patted the costume's shoulder. "He's an idiot, don't mind him."

Mickey Mouse pantomimed giggling before throwing his arm around Lea's shoulder. She took the opportunity to hug the hell out of the costume. She never hugged Damon like that.

No, he wasn't getting jealous of a mouse.

"Say cheese," Damon feigned happiness, mentally kicking himself for the pun he'd just said. Mickey Mouse was a rat, and rats loved what? Fucking cheese.

He took the picture and before he handed the phone to Lea she had already snatched it away from him.

Seriously, he was beginning to miss the girl who claimed she wasn't _'high off the atmosphere'_. Those covert Mickeys did it, he knew they did!

"We are a pair of sexy bitches aren't we, Micks," Lea chuckled, displaying the pick to the mouse. She turned to Damon."I get to call him Micks cause we got it like dat."

Whatever the two of them had, he didn't want.

"You know it's probably a drunken pedophile beneath the suit right?" Damon didn't want to rain on her parade, it just kind of happened.

She recovered with ease. "Oh yeah, now it's your turn."

He was NOT taking a picture with the gay rat!

**. . . **

What Damon hated perhaps more than Disney World, was children.

God, they always reminded him how lucky he was to be dead.

They were assholes.

And the one standing in front of Lea and him was just a walking cliché.

Mickey Mouse ears sat on top of blonde hair that was styled into a bowl cut. The rosy tip of his nose only lead to snot and disease. His hand was wrapped possessively around an ever-melting ice-cream cone, and his big blue eyes stared at the both of them like they were despicable human beings.

Well, the little boy was halfway right.

Lea was a monster.

"Are you two here together?" the brat asked.

"Aww." Lea cooed, under the child's spell.

Damon would be the only adult here it seemed.

"Yes, we are."

"Why?" The boy cocked his head.

"Because she's my girlfriend," Damon responded.

"Is that true?" More questions came from the twerp, but he was looking toward Lea for confirmation.

And so was Damon.

Was she going to say no and possibly upset the child?

Or was she going to appease both him and Damon and answer correctly.

"Yes," she grit as if it were the hardest word to ever be uttered. "I'm his girlfriend."

Maybe the brat wasn't so bad after all. He just made the voodooist Damon's girl.

But the kid still wasn't satisfied with the answers given to him. It were as if he wouldn't stop interrogating the two because if he didn't ask all the questions plaguing him he wouldn't sleep at night.

"Do you both constipate?"

"What?" Lea cackled in disbelief.

Laughing, Damon nudged her. "He's only six, Lea, that's imbecile for 'Consummate.' And yes, daily."

Lea gave her signature _Pshh! _and Damon noticed how much more tense she became. Her shoulder drew upwards and Damon could feel the ball of nerves exploding inside of her. Was the thought of sex with him so bad that she didn't want to tell him, or so good that she didn't know what to do with herself.

Most likely the latter.

"My mom says that constipation before marriage is a sin before God and the devil's work."

What kind of bible thumper of a mom did he have? Poor kid.

"Maybe," Damon said, "But it's also fucking fantastic. Couldn't feel any more heavenly."

Lea snickered. "That was a terrible joke."

"It was hilarious."

The kid obviously wasn't mature and intelligent enough to get the humor of Damon's words.

"You're going to hell! Both of you."

Lea couldn't believe what the boy just said. "Wowza"

Okay, it was time for Damon to put an end to this.

Knocking the ice cream cone from the dick's hands, Damon collared him. He crouched at eye level with the boy, taking delight in the overwhelming sense of fear petrifying him. Not too much to make him piss himself, but just enough to render him speechless. Good.

"You mom sounds smart, but not smart enough to teach you not to talk to strangers." he said scathingly. "I could snatch you away right now and you'd never see your crazy mother again. I'd lock you away where no one would ever find you and make you wish you were in hell with the devil instead of with me. And I'm going to do just that unless you get out of here. Understand?"

He didn't mean to make the kid cry, that was just a bonus.

He ran off, looking for probably adult supervision to reprimand Damon for the less-than-legal conversation he just had.

Whatever.

"You're so wrong." Folding her arms, Lea shook her head at him. Her eyes scanned him up and down in a judgy way that reminded him of Stefan. Another thing she knew he hated. "That was a little kid."

She had no right to judge him.

"He deserved it."

"No he didn't."

"You would've done the same."

"Who me?" She pressed her hand against her heart.

Oh, so she forgot that she was just as big as a douche as he was? Did she forget just how vicious and nasty she was when it came to children?

"Yes you."

"Couldn't be." She smiled. "I'm America's sweetheart."

Yeah right.

"You're also my girlfriend."

"Am not!"

It was too late, the boy had already set up the situation perfectly for Damon.

"You are if you want to stay here."

Yes, he was bribing her. If Lea wanted to continue her stay at Disney World, she'd have to say and act like she was his girlfriend.

"Fine," she cried, not putting up an ounce of the fight Damon thought she would've. For the first time, Lea had done something willingly and without a battle. "I'm your girlfriend while we're here and only while we're here. Happy now?"

Oh, he was beyond happy. He was downright ecstatic.

Damon loved Disney World.

**C . B . D **

**The last vignette was dedicated to Masqueraderose9 who left a review detailing what she'd want to see while Damon and Lea were on their trip. **

**I like how Damon and Lea are having fun, Elena and Stefan are on the rocks. **

**Had a kabillion scenes written between Lemon while at Disney World, but I didn't want to post too many of them so I chose my favorite ones. Besides, this is just filler. I wanted them to be out of the state while Stefan and Elena go through some things. **

**Part 2 of their trip, Lemon's going to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. But that may not be for two chapters. I have some Stefan and maybe Elena to tackle first. **

**To the people I owe pms to, within the next few days I'll be getting to them! **

**Question: Who do you all envision Lea looking like?**

**I have to ask this for every story of mine at some point and it's usually a question that doesn't get answered very much but I'd still like to try. **

**So far I've been told Leona Lewis which is a fabulous answer. **

**Next Chapter: Bad-boy Stefan.**


	15. What Have I Done?

**Thank you all to the people who pmed me saying who they think Lea looks like. I got Journee Smollett, Lauren London, Leona Lewis, and even a young Stacey Dash. **

**I love every choice. **

**One of which was actually one of my inspirations for Lea.**

**I shan't say which. **

**To all of you who don't want Lea to forgive Damon that easily. **

**She won't be. It's Disney World, she's not going to be pissy just because Damon's an asshole. **

**Now, onto Bad-boy Stefan. My favorite chapter to write as of now. **

**Chapter 15 – What Have I Done? **

Stefan tried valiantly to blanket the inferno scorching him just beneath the surface. With all his might he attempted to control himself to no avail. The uncontrollable desire to drink human blood was beginning to torture him and if he didn't grab ahold of himself soon he was going to lose his mind.

Honestly, it was too late.

Stefan was pretty fucking far gone at this point.

He wasn't going to blame Elena. He couldn't. No. This had been going on long before their problems came into play. He'd been wanting to drink from humans – well, one specific human – for a while now. But he couldn't ignore just how much Elena's sardonic words had sent him into remission.

"_The only reason I can't drink from humans is because you don't want me to be like you. A ripper." _

Stefan replayed their conversation in his head over and over again until it became engrained permanently in his memory. Of course he didn't want her to be like him. He knew what it was like to turn your humanity off, to switch completely out of yourself and give in to every malicious deed you could come up with. Stefan knew the true meaning of being a vampire.

But he also knew the hell that comes once you turn your humanity back on. He knew about the overwhelming guilt and shame that would haunt you until you died. How the screams and pleas of your victims would reverberate through your skull at night until all you could do was replay their deaths like movies through an old projector. He wanted to spare Elena of that, but it seemed that not only was she doing everything in her power to thwart that, but didn't believe those were his true reasonings for making her abstain from animals.

"_I can drink blood, Stefan. I know I can. But because you can't, because you're suffering that means you want me to too." _

Those few words had sent Stefan off the deep end. The fact that the love of his life, who he wanted to spend an eternity with, could think so little of him made him question everything about their relationship. Not only that, but it had his blood boiling and his fangs itching. A lethal combination that wouldn't end well for someone.

Where the fuck was Lea?

He needed her.

Maybe it was a bad idea to try and find her. For months now she'd been the only one Stefan wanted to drink from. Lea was the only person who's blood Stefan dreamed about sliding down his throat. She was the only person who he craved to make moan as his fangs dipped into her skin. So perhaps going to her for help wasn't the smartest decision, because if he hurt her in anyway it would be just another thing he wouldn't forgive himself for.

There was no one else he could go to. There was no one else he wasn't ashamed to show this side of himself to. Bonnie hated vampires so it wasn't a good idea to go to her. Caroline would run and tell Elena the first chance she could. Tyler and Matt were goddamn useless. The only person in town that he trusted more than anyone, sans Elena (and even that was starting to wear thing) was Lea.

And she was nowhere to be fucking found.

Why wasn't she answering her goddamn phone?

Where had she run off to? He could only smell the faintest hints of her skin in the air. And that alone was enough to make Stefan want to murder the entire town and bathe in their blood.

He could track down Damon...

How could he even think something like that. Damon would chastise him and that was something Stefan really didn't need.

He _really _needed Lea.

Or a human.

Every prayer that ricocheted in Stefan's mind went unanswered and overlooked as soon as he caught a whiff of option B scent wafting lazily in the chill-spiked air.

Milk and honey with rose.

Sweet. Decadent. Rich. Thick and sugared. A sinfully sweet smell so intoxicating it paralyzed him. He was stuck.

"Stefan?" The girl had found him and he while a part of him dreaded their encounter, it was undeniable that lurking deep inside of him another part was ecstatic. "It's freezing out here and you don't have on a coat. Are you okay?"

Stefan's heart must've skipped once he saw the girl.

She was seventeen, which meant they went to school together, which would explain how she knew him. But it wasn't her age that had him rendered speechless, it was the way she looked.

She had radiant bronzed skin that reminded Stefan of butter fly wings. Her plump lips, coated in cherry lipgloss, were pulling in a warm and friendly smile. Her brown eyes shimmered even in the darkness of this cold, black night. And what made everything the more surreal was the honey blonde hair that cascaded from beneath a plum colored knitted hat and fell just below her shoulders.

This woman was a Lea clone. Not one-hundred percent, she wasn't as short and didn't have as much ass, but it was more than enough to satiate Stefan's cravings.

God really hated him.

Or loved him.

He didn't know.

Fuck!

He had to get out of here. Now.

"Hello?" she raised an eyebrow at him, her suspicion must've been going through the roof. "Are you okay?"

If he wanted to leave, why wasn't he moving? He was going to murder this poor girl and drain her of all she was worth but didn't even try to prevent it. Instead, he did the exact opposite.

"I'm fine," he whispered, feeling the trickles of sweat build unto his brow.

"Fine? You look anything but." She took him by the hand before instantly recoiling as if he'd been stricken with disease. "Oh my god, you're burning up."

Her hands played against the various open parts of his skin, his forehead, beneath his chin, his arms, and she took in how scorching he was. Stefan wanted to remove her hands, tell her to run and lock her doors, to call the cops, hell, even take the nearest stick in the park and stab him in the heart with it, but the more and more the pretty woman stayed around, the more and more Stefan found his humanity wearing thin.

"Don't worry about me," he said, gently pulling her hands from him. "I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" She was blazing with concern.

Stefan assuaged all of it.

"Elena and I just got into a really bad fight and broke up." Was half of a lie. "I'll be okay as long as you're with me."

Her concern melted away like the snow on the ground and a different kind of heat now radiated from her. She liked him. With one half assed comment, the girl became putty in his hands.

Watching her take the seat beside him on the park bench, Stefan took in the woman's heels. Well, along with the icy roads and snowy landscape, this woman wouldn't have much of a chance to run. He almost felt badly.

"What did you and Elena fight about?"

"It doesn't matter," Stefan said, noting how he was actually telling the truth this time. "Not anymore now that you're here."

He could feel her blushing and it made him want to tear into her right then and there.

Patience, Stefan, patience. All good things come to those who wait.

"Oh, okay."

"You're a cheerleader, right?" He slid the pocket that once called and texted Lea feverishly into his pocket.

"Oh yeah, that's me, Britney Peterson, cheerleader in the back row. I'm not any good."

So that was her name. Britney. He'd killed nine of those. And three people by the name of Peterson.

"You were good enough to get me to notice."

She didn't say anything. Instead, her breath hitched and was swallowed in her throat. Ugh, this one wasn't any fun.

"Hey, do you want to get out of here?"

Her eyes widened slightly. Enough for someone like him to notice. She was surprised. Taken aback.

But still didn't refuse.

"Sure, what do you have in mind," she said, fiddling with her rainbow scarf that seemed like Elena's sense of style.

Laughing, Stefan placed a hand on Britney's frail shoulder. "Killing you."

It was her turn to laugh. Only it wasn't as soft and genuine as Stefan's. This was out of disbelief. "What?"

Pupils dilating, Stefan gazed deeply into Britney's dark eyes. He did the only kind gesture he could and that was compel her to know her fate. "I'm going to dismember you and drink from the crimson pools your blood makes."

"Why would you want to do that?" her trance-like voice couldn't contain all of her fear. Was Stefan supposed to feel remorseful? He didn't. He didn't care.

"Because I can," he stated simply. "And because my girlfriend pissed me off today and I need a release."

"Oh."

"But there is something you can do," he said. "I want you to run as fast as you can. I want you to scream for help, I want you to fight back, but more than anything, I want you to beg for your life. I want to hear you plea for me to stop until you take your last breath. Understand."

She nodded. "Yes."

Good. "Now go."

On que, the girl broke into hysterics, tears instantly filling her almond shaped eyes and she broke out into a sprint. Her body trudged in the deep snow as her cries for help echoed throughout the night.

Stefan could only smile at the girl's poor attempt of escape.

"You might want to take those shoes off," he offered her a bit of advice.

Well, it was time for him to do his end of the bargain and murder her right in Mystic Park.

And he would've.

Had someone not been calling his phone.

He pulled the vibrating device from his pocket, glaring into it's illuminated screen that foretold who was calling him.

Elena.

Stefan froze at the name, pieces of his former good-boy self coming back into the forefront. The woman he loved so much, sacrificed the world for, would willingly die for, was calling him.

To a sane person, this would've been a sign.

He sighed.

This was not the person he wanted to hear from.

Shoving the phone back into his pocket, Stefan began what would be a quick but most likely excruciatingly painful death for Britney Peterson. He chased her down, wrapped his arms around her, bled her just enough for her to remain conscious but satiate his bloodlust, and then did just as he said and destroyed the poor, helpless girl. He ripped away every limb, clawed through her sinew, frolicked in the sanguine soaked snow.

He kept her head though. He wanted to practice his soccer skills tonight.

Britney became nothing more than an unrecognizable mass of body parts, and would be remembered as the girl who got attacked by a wolf.

Oh, and she'd be remember by her name that would soon be on a wall in Chicago by the end of the night.

Stefan reveled in his kill, feeling invigorating and alive. The most alive he'd felt in quite some time. The most fun he'd had in ages. God, why didn't he do this more often?

Because he had people who expected more from him. People who saw the good inside of him and made him want to do better.

What the hell was he thinking. The people around him weren't even human. Elena wanted to drink from human's herself. The only person who's opinion mattered anymore was Lea's. And she would be able to handle this. She liked Damon didn't she?

He should've done this sooner.

But little did poor Stefan know, he was completely unaware of it as his licked his bloodied fingers clean, come tomorrow, he wouldn't feel so jovially. When the morning birds chirped and the sun barely skimmed over the horizon, he'd be a wreck. He'd be the same hollow and remorseful man he was after every time his humanity kicked in. He'd hate himself.

But who cared about the day. He wasn't even supposed to be able to walk in the sunlight.

Stefan was going to enjoy the rest of his night.

**C . B . D **

**He wasn't too bad. Just killed one person (that I've written). And this was the rewrite. I made Stefan kill a child in the original. That was too much though. **

**And now you know why I wanted Damon and Lea out of town and why their phones are off. **

**Question: Delena or Bamon? **

**It'll be interesting to see how many Delena people I get seeing as though this fic is so Anti-Elena. **

**Next Chapter: I'm either writing Lemon on part two of their trip, or Elena and another hallucination. Probably the latter. I want her to go through one more of her visions before Lea and Damon go back to good ol' Mystic Falls. **

**Thank you for reading! **


	16. It's Always Darkest Before the Dawn

**I'd like to take the time out to thank everyone who's left a form a feedback for this story, and to the reviewers who I adore so much who've gotten this story to the 100 comments landmark. I didn't think it were possible for basically a Damon/OC story starring such an over-the-top and crazy character to get this much love. And with this being a rewrite of my terribad old fic, I'm just completely in awe of the response this has gotten. I love you all.**

**Now.**

**Bamon 4 – Delena 3**

**I think everyone on the planet knows my choice, which is the beauty that is Bamon.**

**To address a concern made by a reviewer by the name of Lucy, which was the lack of Lefan (LeaxStefan) moments...**

**Stefan and Lea will have there moment in a few chaps. Chapter 18 they'll be with each other. They needed a break from one another and things needed to happen while the other wasn't around because they kind of serve as an emotional crutch for each other. But I can't wait to write them.**

**Now.**

**Time for boring ass Elena.**

**Chapter 16 – It's Always Darkest Before the Dawn**

Dear God, where was Damon?

"Damon, please, pick up. You know who this is." Elena cried into the receiver of her phone. Her body slowly slinked down her wall like raindrops on a window until she'd collapsed onto the ground in a distraught heap.

What was happening to her?

After telling Stefan off, Elena began to have some of the worst hallucinations she'd ever experienced in the past week. She couldn't escape, they were literally following her like a shadow and no matter where she tried to traipse, something either horrifying or enraging seemed to find her. And each one felt more real than the other.

Especially the one where a bloodied and mangled Alaric chastised her for thirty minutes on how his death was her fault. How everyone's death was her fault and how she should just kill herself and save everyone the trouble.

Lexi was right, it only got worse after her.

Why was there no one she could go to and ask for help?

Stefan was furious with her and wasn't answering her calls too.

Damon had told her that they needed to take a break and was God knows where with God knows who.

And she couldn't talk to anyone else about it without the risk of spilling her secret. So no Caroline, no Bonnie, and definitely no Lea.

She had to go through this on her own.

But she didn't know if she was strong enough.

"Come on Damon, please, answer!" Elena prayed, eyes clenched shut to prevent any faulty images from seeping into her head like water through a crack. "Please, please, ple-"

"Elena?" The sound of Damon's voice breaking through Elena's pleas made her give a sigh of relief. "I thought I told you not to call me?"

She pressed her phone to her ear as if it were the only thing keeping her from crumbling. Which it was. Damon was the only person who could keep her from breaking out into hysterics. Her dark knight. Her savior.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know what to do," she cried. "These visions are getting really bad. Isobel, John, Lexi, they've all been visiting me. Even Alaric. I don't think I can do this."

For a second, Elena heard nothing from the receiving end. No breathing, no outside noise, not the slightest stirring. The faint sounds of her sniveling kept her more company than Damon did.

Had he hung up on her?

"Damon?"

"What do you want me to do about it?" he said exasperatedly. "This isn't my burden to bear remember? You chose this all on your own."

How could he have been so cold? Who was this person? She'd given all of herself to him and this was how he treated her when she was going through hell?

She hated how exposed and defenseless she was to this. Elena knew she couldn't go through this alone any more.

"I need your help."

"Give me the phone, Damon." Elena heard another voice in the background of wherever Damon was. A voice that was unmistakeable. A blasé tone with just enough annoyance held it in it... was Damon hanging out with Lea?

"No, I'll be off in two seconds." he replied, and Elena noticed just how different his voice was when he spoke to the woman. Soft, loving, how he used to talk to her before he turned into a cold bastard.

How could he do this to her?

She was a fool.

"Damon, are you with Lea?" Her voice cracked, tears stinging her eyes.

She heard Damon sigh, as if he was the one getting two-timed. "Look what you've done, Lea. Felix the cat's out of the bag."

"Give me the damn phone." Lea grit and for the next few seconds Elena heard nothing but muffled words and grunts as the two fought over who was going to talk to Elena next.

"Look, bitch, Damon and I are happy together in Disney World right now. Leave us alone."

Apparently Lea won. In various categories.

"So all while I've been like this, Damon's been-"

"With me, bitch, yes. What, you thought he could resist?" She laughed and Elena felt above and beyond idiotic. There was some truth to her statement. Damon and Lea had something he and Elena just didn't. "I'm also the one giving you these visions. Haha."

What?

Elena could've killed someone with how enraged she became. She could literally feel the anger inside of her rising and her fist clench harder around her phone. To know that someone she thought was her friend could've done something like this to her was worse than the thought of Damon and Lea sneaking off behind her back. Lea was her friend. Someone she trusted. How could she do something like this?

Lea was proud of the fact that she was driving Elena off the deep end. And had the nerve to call _her _the bitch. Elena had never in all of her life done something as manipulative as this. And she was a cheerleader! They were the definition of the word manipulative.

She had to keep her composure. If she didn't then she'd end up killing someone. Or switching off her humanity. "Why would you do this to me?"

"I don't know, maybe the same thing that motivated you to cheat on Damon was the same thing that motivated me."

That wasn't fair. "You don't get to be involved with my love life. No matter how much I know you want it to be you in my shoes."

"Look, Damon and I have to get well rested because tomorrow we're going to Harry Potter land. So I'm about to hang up," she said, sounding very bored with their conversation. A big contrast to the ball of emotions Elena was.

"Tell her I said that I never wanted to be with her." Elena overheard Damon's words and they may as well have been a stake in her heart.

"Damon said he was only fucking you because I wouldn't let him be with me," Lea reiterated.

Elena didn't have to take this. She was fucking strong and capable. Lea was nothing compared to her. "Listen to me, Lea, when you get back here-"

"No, you listen to me, slut." Lea yawned. "If you want to end your little Donnie Darko situation, you've got to tell Stefan about everything you've been doing."

"I'll kill you before-"

"Bye."

With a _click, _the bitchy voodooist and the two timing vampire were no longer talking to a distraught Elena. They'd left her with more than enough news to last her over.

She didn't know what was killing her the most.

How someone she loved could've gone behind her back and done something like this to her.

How one of her closest friends could torture with no remorse.

Or how she felt like she deserved it all because it was exactly what she'd been putting Stefan through.

If he felt a modicum of how she felt right now when she told him everything she'd been doing behind his back, she wouldn't know what to do with herself.

She had to tell him now.

Not because she wanted her nightmares to stop, but only because he deserved to know the truth.

That she loved him.

That she'd made a grave mistake.

And that she could only that they could move on together and become stronger.

Elena knew once she took one step outside that nothing would've went accordingly.

Elena was no longer standing on the stone porch adjacent to the Boardinghouse's entrance. No, she was sitting in the backseat of her parent's car that was traveling down the road that lead to Wickery Bridge.

How was this possible?

"Elena, sweetheart?" Elena's heart froze and shattered into a million shards of nothingness upon hearing the sound of her mother's warm voice.

"Mom?"

"I'm not your mother, Elena," she said, retaining all of the warmth and lovingness Elena remembered. "You're adopted."

"Wha-what are we doing?"

Elena's eyes locked with her father's through the rearview mirror. He was smiling at her. "We're going to kill you now, pumpkin."

Wiping away the tears staining her cheeks, she sniffed. "Why?"

"Because you're an abomination and everyone's dead because of you."

She'd willingly do it if it meant escaping everything eating away at her.

She knew she should've been afraid, she knew she should've argued and put up a fight, but if anyone knew and had her best interest, it was her parents. And that made it all okay.

"I miss you all so much," she sobbed. "Everything's different now that you're gone. Nothing makes sense anymore."

Her father nodded. "Not for long. It'll be painless and over with before you know it. And then we can all be together again. Just like how you want."

Elena could only hope that it would be that way. But with her being a vampire, and the people who've died for her, and the things she'd done in the past, she wasn't so sure if they all would meet up in the same place. "What about, Jer?"

"He'll be relieved," mom said. "He won't have to worry about you anymore. He can grow up normally."

"Don't be afraid, Lainey."

That was the annoying nickname her father used to call her when she was a kid. She always hated it, it made her feel like the age she was instead of the adult she wanted to be. But now, now it was a breath of fresh air. It made her feel safe and secure. Something she never felt now with the addition of vampires in her life.

Coming to the realization that it was all finally over now, Elena accepted her fate gladly.

"I'm ready."

"We love you," her parents said in unison before plunging their car into the deep abyss of unfathomably cold, cobalt water.

Elena sat back, closed her eyes, and ignored the fire in her chest turning her lungs into cinders as she drowned for the third time now. Her dad lied, it hurt like hell. Just like she remembered when they first toppled into the water and again when Rebekah sabotaged them. But it was only momentary. She knew this. In a bit, her mind would shut down and her vision would fade like the end of those old movies Stefan loved.

Elena could finally die and have the peace she dreamed of.

Except, her body was being pulled in the opposite direction of her parents.

She felt no joy, no happiness, no abundance of pure love. She saw no beacon of light or heard the angels sing. Elena instead felt anguish, despair, toxic and more dead than she'd ever felt before. She could smell the brimstone and taste the flames that awaited for her in hell.

She was going to hell.

This was wrong. This was fucking wrong!

An eighteen year old who hadn't done anything with her life was going straight to hell.

Attempting to scream and claw her way out, Elena knew it was of no use. This was what awaited for her now.

"ELENA!"

Her eyes shot open, her body arching to the sky as she coughed on imaginary water as if she'd actually been drowning. She glanced around and was immediately greeted with a pair of concerned hazel green eyes.

Elena fought, writhed, and tried anything to get away from whoever the green eyed devil it was in front of her. Elena couldn't do this. This was all a mistake.

"Elena, stop! It's me!"

Shaking uncontrollably, she took in how her surroundings were not of what she once thought. She was no longer trapped in the car with her family, traveling down Wickery Bridge and into a the freezing waters bellow. She wasn't getting pulled down into the devil's playground were an endless torture awaited her. Instead, Elena was still in the fetal position she remembered being when she called Damon, and was being comforted by one of her best friends, Bonnie Bennett.

"Elena, what's wrong with you?"

Shaken, petrified, and questioning if this was even reality, Elena said the only two words she could think of as she regrouped from her latest torture session.

"Help me."

**C . B . D**

**Poor Elena. I mean, yeah, she's done some mean shit but she doesn't deserve this. The parent's thing was a low blow.**

**Just so there aren't any doubts or questions, the conversation Elena had with Lea and Damon wasn't real. She was imagining it all. She just doesn't know that.**

**So yeah, Damon and Lea are bonding while Stefan and Elena are going through some stuff.**

**Next Chapter: Lemon at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.**


	17. You're a Wizard, Lea

**If fanfiction can make it so we can add more than two characters to the character lists for our stories, why can't they give us an OC option? It would make things much easier for someone like myself. **

**I had tons of Lemon scenes written, but none of them I really enjoyed so I chose my three favorites and made a chapter of them. The last one was my favorite.**

**Chapter 17 – You're a Wizard, Lea.**

It comes a time in every young Wizard's life where they make the biggest decision of their magical career.

Well, the decision is made for you.

The choosing of a wand.

But the beautiful wand nestled in my palm... she chose me.

And nothing had ever felt so right.

Eleven inches of sleek, pliable, ebony wood with a dragon heartstring core.

Yes ma'am.

A wand with such elegance and power was only suitable for a Slytherin girl with a flair for the dark arts

Someone was getting _crucioed_ tonight! In the midnight hour!

"You done being a nerd?" Damon pulled me from me away from the trance my beautiful wand put me in. How dare he disturb our moment. "Can I go and pay thirty bucks for a piece of useless wood now?"

It wasn't useless. Didn't he get it? I'd be using my wand whenever I actually performed a spell. It would be the most boss thing. For someone like me to have a cute wand just because she could.

I couldn't wait to show Bonnie!

We had to get her one too!

"Damon," I whimpered, making my voice into something sweet and cutesy. "Come here."

That brought a big smirk onto his face as he moved over into a secluded area with me in Ollivanders.

"Yes?" He dipped his head down to mine.

What, he thought I was going to kiss him? No. There'd be none of that while on this trip.

Gripping my wand, I hit him upside the head with it. "_Avada Kedavra!_"

**. . . **

"Taste it!"

"I will if you try one."

"Fine."

I closed my eyes as my hand rummaged by box of every flavored jelly beans. Concentrating on the energy of the inanimate food, I tried using a little bit of my voodoo background to pick out a flavor that wasn't disgusting. Because lord forbid I get something terrible tasting.

Okay, I could do this.

Popping a candy into my mouth, I chewed it and tasted a weird but unmistakeable flavor.

"Bacon." I smacked my lips. "Not bad. Tastes like just like it, but sweeter. Your turn Damon."

Damon raised his long sleeved black shirt up towards his elbow, pretending as if this required hard work and perseverance. He quickly picked up a random jelly bean, not the least bit concerned about its flavor, and tossed it into his mouth.

He didn't even get to three chews before his face contorted into something disturbed and he spit it out.

Was it bad that I started laughing at him.

Only Damon had the worst luck in the world where he would choose something completely inedible.

"Why would they put something vomit flavored in candy?"

I put my hand on his shoulder and tried my best to make him feel better.

"George swears he got a boogie one once."

. . .

"We're lost."

"We're not lost, we're just... off the beaten path."

"Which is a fancy way of saying we're lost." I chuckled, not really caring that he and I were stranded in Hogwart's castle by ourselves. I would've rather been lost, meandering the halls with only him by my side than continue with those Harry Potter worshiping freaks.

Pssh. Nerds.

"You don't have to worry, your boyfriend is here to protect you."

Why did I smile at him saying that? Why had I been enjoying his company these past two days more than I had in a long time. This was the same man who'd just practically molested me while I was half asleep, the same man that was with another woman weeks ago, and he had me smiling and grinning and flirting with him like we really were a couple.

The thought of us being together constantly tainted my time here with him. Because I knew it wasn't real. I was just being stupid. But the way Damon was treating me, as if I were the most precious thing in his world, I couldn't help but get swept away in his charms. I became just like all the other girls who bought his facade.

This was wrong. I knew it was. No one could tell me otherwise.

"You really are going to milk our being a couple for all its worth aren't you?"

He threw his arm around my shoulder, pulling me in even closer to his snug and surprisingly warm body. I felt my body betray my mind and cuddle into him, my own arm finding its way around his waist. He kissed my head, and I bottled the happy sigh I wanted to give. "To the last drop."

"Thank you for doing this for me." I hoped me covering up my quickening heartbeat and unsteady breathing by changing the subject was working. "I know how much you hate things like this."

"But you love it," he said matter-of-factly. "So it's important to me."

What was going on here? Damon was so busy talking about how I was the one who changed during the trip but it wasn't me who did the one-eighty. He was being nice, romantic, sweet, gentlemanly. Everything he wasn't. Everything that was a stark contrast to who I knew back at Mystic Falls.

Why was he making me feel special and wanted. Why was he brainwashing me into believing that this was how he really felt about me and that this would continue once we left Florida and entered Virginia?

Why was I allowing him to?

I had to put an end to this, even though I wanted it to last indefinitely. When things are too good to be true it's because they most likely were.

"Can you stop pretending with me please?"

Damon looked at me, giving me that brow-furrow, steely-eye thing he did whenever he was taken aback. My stomach sunk quicker than the Titanic upon our eye contact. I knew what was going to happen. We were going to actually have a serious conversation.

I always despised these. Our heart-to-hearts always made me feel like a piece of shit and hate myself.

"What do you think I'm pretending, Lea?" he asked, voice kept at a hushed level in case wandering patrons walked by.

I was usually the type to speak my mind, but it were the times like these where the truth decided to hide under a rock and not come out until it was safe.

Damon was an adult, and so was I. I couldn't stop acting like a little girl who was afraid of confronting her reality.

"This being nice and caring for me thing," I said. "Just earlier you were ready to... what was it that you said? Rip my head off and use it as your bowling ball! Just to save Elena. And now I'm supposed to believe that you're this sweetheart who wants to be my boyfriend and actually likes me? Stop it."

He blinked, a quick sigh flying from him as he took in my words. Damon closed his eyes and I could feel him counting to ten before he opened them again, rendering me speechless by the look now on his face.

Anger.

"You're an idiot, you know that? You are singlehandedly the biggest idiot in Mystic Falls. And that's saying something considering that people like Tyler live there."

Well my muteness lasted for about a second.

Who the fuck was he to call me an idiot? I was damn sure smarter than he was.

"Right, I'm an idiot. Whatever. And you're a manipulative opportunist."

"Me? I'm an opportunist," he scoffed as if he'd never done something just to benefit himself in all his life.

"Yup, you are." Folding my arms over my chest, I rolled my eyes, knowing that would only make him more upset. He hated that. "You manipulated me into thinking you liked me for two years now, and when I'm finally ready to openly reciprocate your feelings and try to be with you, you go off with Elena and pretend I don't exist. Fuck you. You used me then and you're using me so fuck you, Damon."

I wanted him to get mad at me – to have his stupid feelings get hurt. I wanted him to hate me just as much as I hated him right now. I couldn't stand Damon. If he died tomorrow I'd throw a party on his grave.

But he didn't give me what I wanted. He didn't get mad or spiteful or even violent.

His face just softened into a look that I didn't know. One that was unrecognizable. I could feel my stomach knot and my breathing dwindle into nothing.

"You like me?" he whispered, hints of curiosity and interest forming behind his words. As if he had no idea all along and wanted confirmation for his sanity.

No, I wasn't going to ever admit that. I'd go to my grave before I said yes.

"Fuck you, Damon."

He didn't stop and instead walked over to me. Every step he took forward, I back away as if he were some kind of repellent. This was not going to be one of our infamous fight-then-immediately-make-up sessions. I was pissed. He ruined everything!

"You want to be with me?" His breathy words prompted me to recoil like mouse in the presence of a starving cat.

I could barely shake my head and my speech became just as throaty as his. I had to wring the words from my body. "Fuck you, Damon."

My back found its way against a wall and I could've screamed at how this was such the wrong time for this wall to be here. I was trapped. I had no escape. My heart was beating pathetically, and in some twisted way my words had fixated Damon who just wouldn't stop swaying over to me.

Oh no, we weren't about to do this.

Digging into my pocket, I pulled out my wand, pointing it at him. I'd _evanesco _him if I had to.

"Don't make me use this, Damon," I stuttered, my heart fluttering with his every step.

He didn't heed my warnings and continued moving forward until there was no longer any space but ample opportunity between our bodies. The softness of his fingertips caressed my face and I held my breath in anticipation for what his next move was going to be. His eyes didn't bother looking elsewhere but my own and I had to close mine just to escape the intimacy.

Please don't kiss me.

Please don't kiss me.

Please don't kiss me.

He kissed me.

My resolve broke down and wand slipped from my hand, falling to the floor.

I completely stilled, my mind and body going into a sparring match between what to do. He paralyzed me and I just let him do whatever he desired. My brain melted and oozed out my ears as Damon's delicate lips pressed down gently against my own. His hand tilted my chin up to slowly deepen our lip-lock and I found my own hands laying stiffly by my sides, not knowing what to do with them because my body was stone.

This kiss was sweet and sugary and cute. Nothing like how I imagined Damon kissing me. He took his time with his slow, carefully thought out movements and I could feel the faint rise and fall of his chest against my body.

This was what I'd been waiting for.

A kiss without artifice. Something pure and real.

Nothing like our first one.

But I responded to this kiss much like I did our first time.

I slapped him silly.

Shoving him away from me as if he were sickening, the flat of my hand slammed roughly against his cheek with enough impact to make his head turn.

This kind of vulnerability I wasn't used to. Opening myself up just to get hurt. Damon was right. He and I weren't together because of me. Because I couldn't let my guards down for him or anyone.

If that were the case, tell me why within a second of slapping him, I was the one to reignited our kissing? Why I gave into him and my urges.

My lips fell onto his and I let my doubts and fears finally evaporate. Damon was the one who found himself taken aback, but wasted no time letting his hangups go an return everything I gave him. I could feel my skin sizzle beneath his touch as he pulled me into him, and I could feel him smile briefly upon hearing my moan.

"Asshole." I tugged the ends of his hair.

For a second, everything felt so right. Surreal. Like Cinderella slipping her foot into that glass slipper. Absolutely perfect.

But Damon found a way to even fuck up something as amazing as this. And I couldn't have been more hurt my it.

"I've been waiting for this for too long, Elena," he breathed against my mouth and I could feel myself crumbling to the very core of me.

Everything I was afraid of, all of the disasters I could've fathomed were surpassed with innocent, harmless words. The one time I put myself out there, Damon found a way to break me in two.

"I can't believe you." My voice cracked as threw myself off him.

Damon looked as if he didn't know what'd happened. "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" I laughed, trying with everything inside of me to not cry. Especially in front of him. "How about you moaning Elena's name while you were kissing me?"

"No I didn't." He shook his head, but stopped I guess once seeing the tears beam in my eyes. God, no. He couldn't see me cry. "I'm sorry."

I just had to breathe. Breathe and get ahold of myself, because if I didn't, I was going to be a wreck.

"Can we go home please?"

"We have a lot of other places we can go."

"Damon, can you please just take me home," I pleaded. "Please."

He knew he fucked up. It was written all over his face. And rather than try to put up a fight – he knew it wouldn't have been any good – he simply caved in and gave me what I wanted.

"Okay, let's go."

I walked away from him, didn't bother to pick up my wand, didn't wait for him to catch up to be, I just trudged away.

I was stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid! How could I fool myself into thinking Damon wanted me. The only reason he was doing this was to probably make me take the spell off Elena. He didn't like me, he didn't want me, he said it himself, he wanted her.

It was time to go back to Mystic Falls and deal with all the other shit piling up in my life.

"It was always you, Lea," Damon called out, stopping me from taking another step. "Before she even meant anything to me at all, it was you."

By she, Damon of course meant princess Elena.

And I loved his word choice, the subtle hints as to where his mindset was at.

It _was_ me. Past tense. As opposed to him saying, '_It will always be you' _he let me know that he and I were a thing of the past. Something that never and would never happen. No matter how much either of us wanted it to.

Elena had won.

I wasn't going to deal with this any longer. I couldn't. No more.

Wiping away the few tears that disobeyed me and decided to fall, I let out a quivering sigh before leaving this place and Damon behind.

Fuck this state. Fuck Mickey Mouse. Fuck Harry Potter.

I'd never come back here again.

**C . B . D**

**Next Chapter: Lefan! **


	18. The Truth Never Sets You Free

**I hope this Lefan chapter doesn't disappoint after their hiatus. And I hope I chose the right POV to write it in. **

**Chapter 18 – The Truth Never Sets You Free**

Stefan worked his body to its limits - fruitless, snow dusted trees enshrouding him from every inhabitant of Mystic Falls. He needed this, he needed to exert his body to exhaustion. In order to prevent himself from killing again or turning his humanity off, Stefan's mind and limbs required continuous stimulation to keep him occupied.

That meant focusing on anything but himself all while withdrawing himself from society.

"Stefan, are you okay?"

So much for withdrawing himself.

Stopping from one of the many pull-ups he'd been doing with the help of a branch, Stefan dropped his body to the snow to meet the eyes of Lea.

"You're about thirty hours too late."

But it wasn't too late for her to give him what he wanted. No, there was ample time for him to not only drink from her, but make her beg for him to do so.

How could she have been so unaware of him wanting to?

She pulled her peacoat – the color of the blood Stefan desperately wanted to steal from her – in towards her. One may have thought she was cold, but no, she was uncomfortable. Stefan could smell in mixing with her concern.

Thank god she didn't pity him.

"I'm so sorry-"

"Where've you been?" he silenced her half-assed apologies. He didn't need her sympathy either. "I called and texted you nonstop."

Stefan wasn't supposed to enjoy himself nearly as much as he did watching Lea pull her fleshy bottom lip between her teeth.

"I know. I was out of town."

That wasn't a good enough answer for him. "Where?"

"It's not important," she said, swatting away his question. "Everything's going to be fine, Stefan."

How many times had he heard that in the year alone? God, did people even believe that bullshit anymore? Did that get them through the night, their false sense of hope?

Nothing was ever fine in Mystic Falls. The city was a breeding ground for problems and complications.

Rocking back and forth on his heels, Stefan tried to preoccupy himself. Standing still was beginning to irk him. "Really, can you fix my relationship with Elena?"

That was beyond repair.

"No," she whimpered, eyes falling to the ground, but Stefan was sure she was too much inside her head to have noticed her gesture.

"Can you change the four people I killed two nights ago?"

That got her attention back onto him, her brown eyes bulging in shock. "Four."

Stefan had himself a little escapade the night Elena decided to tell him off. He drank and killed and frolicked all night without a care.

But the past two days had been hell. He couldn't tell anyone how much everything was eating away at him or just how much his own reflection sickened him because of what he'd done. Instead, he hide and buried it all beneath a callous and short-tempered facade. One that was careless and unemotional. Much like the one he was giving right now. Because the thought of actually confronting what he'd done and how he snapped scared him. It made him look weak.

But the more Stefan remained aloof, the more he convinced himself that those deaths meant nothing to him, the less it ate away at him.

"Yeah. Four," he said. "Don't worry, only one was from here. Britney Peterson."

She sighed momentarily. "I knew her."

"So if you can't fix my relationship or turn back time, then how are you exactly useful?"

"I can stop you before you go tumbling over the edge." The way she spoke so passionately, partnered with the glint in her eyes led Stefan to believe that she still was one of those people who never gave up. She had him fooled for a while, made him believe she was pessimistic and a realist, but Lea still carried a bit of hope. "I can stop you from becoming a ripper."

She staggered backwards just a step upon hearing his laughter. Really, she thought she could help him?

"No, you can't."

"Yes I can, you just have to let me."

She was hilarious. How could she help something that she was only making worse by standing before him?

"No, you really can't. You can say whatever spells you want, do whatever rituals you can, make herbal weed, sacrifice a goat, it doesn't matter."

Tilting her head to the side, the sweet tone Lea was confronting him with evanesced and was replaced with her usual sarcastic voice. "Really, tell me why. You seem to know everything right about now. You seem to have it all figured out. Why would my helping you not matter."

Her words sent Stefan's confession avalanching out of his mouth and he didn't regret it for a second. The way she was speaking to him reminded him of Elena. It was the same fucking chastising and spiteful tone Elena seemed to love using with him lately.

"Because at the end of the day, I'm still only going to want to drink from you."

Stefan could see that Lea had stopped breathing though lips were parted. He would've sworn that her body had given into the icy temperature and she froze by how inanimate she'd become. The only hint of how she felt about his words was her cocked eyebrow and her pumping heart.

She thought she knew so much, but couldn't even put together the puzzle pieces that made up their relationship. She thought she knew Stefan so well and was able to figure out that he was struggling with his bloodlust, but didn't know she was the reason for it all.

"Wow, I've silenced the chatterbox."

"You want to drink from me?" she asked, more so to herself than the hungry vampire before her.

The confession was an easy one, the blood he'd ingested was to thank for that. Maybe Stefan would regret his emotion-spilling conversation with Lea once he was back to eating bunnies and unappealing animals. But that didn't mean he couldn't enjoy his sugar-high now did it?

"You don't have to worry about me becoming a ripper, because anyone's blood besides yours isn't what I'm looking for. They're just to hold me over before I get to you."

"And drinking from me will curb all of your hungers."

"Most likely," he said, knowing that the martyr inside of her would now take one for the team and give herself over to him in order to kill the beast. Lea would play right into the hand he set her up for.

"Stefan," she sighed, and Stefan was ready to hear those sweet words he'd been dreaming of. "Get yourself the fuck together."

Those weren't it.

"What?"

"I'm saying this all out of love," she spoke before her chest expanded from all the air she'd inhaled. "You're delusional to think that I'd ever let you drink from me. It isn't going to happen, it's never going to happen, and you need to stop thinking it will. Get a fucking grip. You're stronger than this."

This wasn't how he pictured this going. Though he was glad she put up a fight. That would make her blood all the more sweeter for him.

"Don't pretend as if you haven't thought about it." Smiling, Stefan was going to have fun taunting her. "I know you have."

She scoffed. "No, I haven't."

He persisted and pressed a little harder. "I'm sure you didn't even imagine Damon being the one who drank from you."

Nose crinkling, Lea sneered at the mention of Stefan's brother.

"Oh, so now you think I have fantasies about you drinking from me?" Her eyes rolled and it meant nothing to Stefan. She couldn't lie to his face about this. "You're just like your fucking brother. Thinking everyone likes you and wants you. Newsflash, I don't."

What was with her sudden disliking of Damon? This wasn't her usual faux-angry facade she used, but an actual intense loathing.

Stefan was too busy falling in love with her scent that grew stronger with her moodiness to actually care.

"It's a common turn-on, don't get embarrassed." He tried to make her liking for him less humiliating. "I've thought about drinking from you."

"Eew," she drew out, but Stefan knew it was all a cover-up. Lea, much like him, didn't like to be in a vulnerable position. She needed control, so did he. It was part of why he hated drinking from humans, being a ripper took away his power and placed him in a spot of weakness. It was why, as Lea liked to call him, stubborn. "How much?"

So the thought of him drinking from her was something that seemingly disgusted her, but she was interested in knowing how many times a day he thought about it?

She was really bad at concealing herself from him.

"When I'm alone."

Snow crunching beneath his weight as he began to take a few steps forward, Stefan smiled at the reverberation of Lea's heartbeat falling in sync with his movements.

"When I'm sitting behind you in psychology."

This poor girl was helpless in front of him. Stefan thought she would've given him a warning to back away from her, or say a spell that left his body drained of energy, but the only thing Lea did was stand there. She didn't put up a fight or utter a word.

She took the submissive role. She was giving him what he wanted and let him be the aggresor. Good.

"When I'm with Elena."

Lea's back collided against the trunk of a tree as Stefan shoved her. He lifted her weightless body, grabbing ahold his desire to tear into her throat at the feel of her legs wrapping around him. Christ, the way she smelled sent him into overdrive. Sugar and spice. Sin and salvation.

"All I can think about is your naked body under mine," he breathed into the crook of her neck, the steady rhythm of her pulse kissing his lips. "Your legs nestled around my waist. The feel of your nails raking down my back. The sound of you breathing my name into the night air as I lick the blood drizzling along the length of your body."

Everything became so quiet after Lea heard Stefan's little revelation. Enough for Stefan to hear her eyes blink shut, and her gulp down that lump in her throat.

"I'm going to get you help, Stefan," she whispered.

"You want to help? Take your clothes off."

"You're not in your right mind."

"We've both been thinking about it."

"This isn't you."

"Damon is never going to want you the way you do him."

"And right now, you're trying to cheat on Elena."

Stefan's eyes sprang open with the mentioning of Elena's name. The feelings he'd been trying to repress attacked him from all sides with the realization that that was exactly what he was trying to do. He was about to cheat on someone he so deeply loved. All because of a petty argument that meant nothing.

Lea's body slid from his as he let her go and she scampered away.

"What am I doing, Lea?" Stefan struggled to say as the two sides of him fought for domination. He didn't want either to win, but he damn sure didn't want the one who did make it out victorious to be be shown right now.

Dear god no, anything but that.

Stefan's humanity flicked on and a flood of emotions began to bury him alive.

"You'll be fine, I promise." Lea must've noticed, her tone returned to the original one she gave him upon their first meeting.

But she was lying to him. She had to be. Stefan killed four people and she wanted him to think he'd be fine? His relationship was in shambles and she wanted him to think that he'd be fine? He'd just blurted out how he had sick dreams of drinking his best-friend's blood and she wanted him to think that he'd be fine?

Nothing was fine about this.

"Elena says I'm controlling her," he confessed, needing someone to listen to his plight more than anything right now. "That I'm... forcing her to become something she isn't."

"Well she's-"

"Right. She's absolutely right. Elena's a vampire now and she wants to act like a vampire, but she can't, not if she's with me. Because while I want her to be happy, I can't risk becoming this monster that's inside of me. I can't be around her if she does the things she wants to do. And so I'm stifling her. I'm suffocating her. All because I don't want to lose her."

Because he was too weak to be alone. Anything was better than that. He'd fall without were.

"Trust me, Stefan, if you lose Elena, it won't be because you didn't do your part."

She sounded to sure of herself that it probably would've convinced anyone in the world.

Anyone besides him.

"Yes it will be," he said. "I'm the reason she's like this. So every time she kills, those death tallies go under my name."

"You're forgetting that Elena isn't your pet or your project. She's her own woman, Stefan. She has to learn and make the same mistakes you did and it won't be anyone's fault but her own. This is her journey and you can't intervene because she doesn't think she needs guidance."

He couldn't risk her turning into him. He loved her too much to watch as she ruined herself with idle eyes. Whether she could handle it or not wasn't important to him, Stefan refused to gamble with something so momentous.

Stefan respected her choices and always went through with them, it was why she was a vampire in the first place, but this one time he wasn't going to budge.

The faintest caress of Lea's fingers finding Stefan's shoulder made him wince. He loved the gesture and Lea's undying concern for him, but he couldn't take her touch. Or the sight of her. Or the smell of her. Stefan would have to scrub the scent of her off his skin before he lost it again.

"But you have openly admitted that this isn't the man you want to be. You don't want to be that person who can kill four people in one night because someone told them off or didn't answer their phone. And that's all I need to hear. I'm going to help you, and we're going to get through this. Me and you. Okay."

His throat clenched and the hollows of his eyelids burned with the threat of him actually tearing up. Because Stefan was hopeless. He was doomed to be a mass murderer and there was no changing that. Sure, he could abstain for centuries, but his true-self would only come back in due time. It was who he was, and he couldn't change it. Lexi had made him think otherwise long ago, but he soon found out that she'd been fooling him. There was no cure for him.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because if I drink from you then there's no going back."

"I won't let you."

"I could kill you right now without hesitation."

"Pssh, don't flatter yourself, Salvatore."

A wisp of a grim smile traced Stefan's lips, only for it to be quickly replaced with a ever increasing frown.

What he was going to do next was painful, but it was the only plan Stefan knew would help him restrain his blood-hungry needs for as long as he could.

"If you want to be useful, you'll stay away from me," he threatened. "Because if you don't, I'll torture your family as you watch because I'll be saving the best for last."

Those were the last words Stefan planned on ever uttering to Lea as he vanished from the forrest they were in. He'd take a long shower when he got home, burn the clothes that reeked of her salacious scent, and then compel the guidance counselor to take him out of Psychology so he wouldn't have to see her.

Stefan had to erase her from his life. If he didn't, he'd make good of his promises and would most likely kill her.

Or do as he was once was going to and cheat on Elena with her.

Probably both.

**C . B . D **

**The first Lefan scene after a seven chapter long hiatus and Stefan is trying to avoid her.**

**Now that we've seen a good amount of both Lemon and Lefan... this question begs to be asked again. **

**Question: Lemon or Lefan? **

**Next chapter: The Witch and the Voodooist. Bonnie and Lea!**


	19. Fuck Me With a Blowtorch, This is Bad

**Lemon 3 – Lefan 10**

**Really, you all are into hot tempered Lea and tortured Stefan more than Lea meeting her match with Damon? **

**Yeah, me too. **

**A guest reviewer by the name of VD Lover Damon has brought to my attention that there are no Stefan/OC stories. I too have noticed that and I never know why Stefan doesn't get as much love. Yes, Season 1 Damon stole the show, but season 2 and beyond Stefan becomes the more interesting character and Damon became a puss. **

**Another reviewer by the name of AZTHEBEST1 thought that that last chapter would've been more interesting Damon had intervened with the situation. **

**To that I say,**

**All in due time. **

**Chapter 19 – Fuck Me With a Blowtorch, This is Bad**

Everything in my life reeked of frustration, guilt, and utter humiliation.

Stefan, Elena, and Damon respectively were all to blame for it.

Going out of town with Damon was one of the worst decisions I could've made. And not even in terms of him embarrassing me because all I had to do to fix that problem was avoid him. So much had happened while I was away that it was almost too much for me to bear.

There was the fact that maybe I was hurting Elena and Stefan's relationship more than I was helping. The spell I placed on her was supposed to make her confess within three days tops! She lasted way longer than that and it most definitely put a strain on her and her boyfriend.

Which of course led Stefan to lashing out and killing helpless people. I was to blame for that. Me. Not anyone else. If I had just told him what was going on instead of playing stupid mind games with everyone, this never would have happened.

So I took Elena's curse off.

Yeah, I didn't see that coming either.

I didn't need her confessing to him about her secret trysts with Damon. Not while he was still at the brink of losing it all. So, like always, Elena got exactly what she wanted at someone else's expense.

And here I was, sitting in a fucking library, perusing through ancient voodoo books so I could help the man who wanted to drink my blood...

Was it bad that I was flattered?

Don't get me wrong, it was never going to happen, like _ever_, but being wanted was something that I wasn't really used to. My talents and abilities usually went overlooked, because Bonnie's were safer to practice. I wasn't really a part of the Elena Caroline Bonnie trifecta, because I entered the group waaaay after they became a clique. And believe it or not, I wasn't the most sought after woman in Mystic Falls (totally don't understand why, I'm such a sweetheart). I don't know, Stefan wanting to drink from me and only me, as disgusting as it may seem, was a real ego boost. And after what Damon and I went through I was in desperate need of one.

"Hey." The cheerful voice of Bonnie Bennett forced me to look up from the book my head was stuck in.

"Bonnie B." I smiled as she took a seat opposite me in the barren library. "What's up?"

Her shoulders bunched into an innocent shrug and she returned a smile of her own. "Just came by to hang out with you. We haven't really spoken since the slumber party."

"That's my fault, I'm sorry, I've been really busy." When you've got a ripper, a two-timing vampire, and a certified douchebag on your hands, you tend to get a little swamped. That was no excuse though. Bonnie was the only girl from the group I could relate to, really. What with her being a witch and me being a voodooist.

"I can see that." Picking up one of the many books littering the table, she tilted her head sideways as if it were written in an unrecognizable foreign language. "I mean, you've broken out the antique spell-books. Must be serious."

"Nothing too big." I only had a mass-murdering vampire teeter-tottering on the edge to handle. "I can deal with it."

"You don't need my help?"

"I'm sure you're helping everyone else with their crap right now. I'll be fine."

Lord only knew what Caroline, Matt, Tyler, or Jeremy had gotten into and needed her aid for. I felt bad for her. She was such an important addition to the secret circle, but it always seemed like her success went overlooked by having to save Elena.

After inspecting the book in her hands, Bonnie closed it. "Yeah, but, I'm just really curious about the spells you've been doing. You're a lot more powerful then what you think. A spell you might think is insignificant could actually become catastrophic."

I laughed. Like I was the one who needed supervision. My spells were fool-proof. Did she think I didn't know what I was doing? Please, she was the one always having to call upon the witches of her past. _She _needed the supervision.

"Why would you be curious about anything that I'm doing?"

She sighed and it was one that put me on edge. In fact, her entire cheery demeanor changed into something I'd only seen when she was dealing with someone who was putting her loved ones in danger, or Damon. The fake smile she addressed me with had turned into a hard-set line and her eyes were nothing but scornful. Emanating magic traced her body like an aura.

The look on her face forced my heart to stopped and for a second, I thought she'd made it.

She fucking knew.

Everything.

"Because you're right, I am helping everyone with their problems, including Elena." Her neck moved from side to side like the head of a snake. "You know, our best friend, Elena. At least she's _my_ best friend, I don't know about your relationship with her anymore."

It was my turn to sigh and I rubbed my tired eyes that'd been looking at worthless spells for too damn long. I didn't have time for her tongue-lashing, and I didn't even have time to figure out how Elena found out it was me.

Though it was kind of obvious.

"So you're just going to take her side and not know where I'm coming from?"

"Okay, let's hear it. Why would you ever put a spell on your friend that endlessly barrages them with insults and hallucinations until they can't take it anymore? Why would that ever be okay?"

I could only sit and wallow after hearing her words. There was no real reason for me to do that to Elena. There wasn't a single reason I could find that didn't make me sound either jealous of her, petty, or silly. I didn't know why I did it, to be honest. I wasn't woman enough to talk to Stefan about it because it felt out of place, and I couldn't talk to Elena about it without somehow revealing that Damon and I were still chit chatting. The only thing that seemed remotely like the right answer was having Elena tell Stefan herself. And I ensured that she would by doing what I did to her.

Which she didn't even fucking do! She told Bonnie!

But how did Elena feel about all of this? I could only imagine how pissed she was at me. God, she probably wanted to punch my face in. I would if I were in her shoes.

Yeah right, she would rue the day she even tried to fight me.

"She's cheating on Stefan you know. And Damon's still in town." How pathetic was that response? It was the only thing I could think of to say and try to deflect the prison light off myself.

Bonnie saw right through it like she had X-Ray vision. "I know all about that, and while I'm not saying that she's right, I_ am_ saying that what you did was inexcusable and wrong."

Like anyone in this fucking town had the right to say what was right and what was wrong. Who was she to scorn and belittle me? Did she have a squeaky clean record here? I think not!

"Like you sleeping with Jeremy wrong, or Caroline manipulating Klaus wrong?"

Though I will admit, Klaus falling for Caroline was hilarious. She had him wrapped around her manicured little finger and it was great.

"You always do this." Bonnie's forehead wrinkled as she scowled. I'd have to find something that fixed that immediately. "You never fess up to the things you do. You can't even give a reasonable explanation telling why you'd ever put a spell on Elena. At least she owns up and can try to fix her mistakes. You don't even do that and it's cowardly, Lea."

I wasn't going to get mad. The blood in my veins felt like lava right now, but I wasn't going to get mad. I could overcome my anger issues and that meant walking away from the situation.

"Thanks mom, but if you don't mind, I'd like to be excused from the dinner table." Grabbing every heavy ass book, I proceeded to scoot out of my chair and walk right out of the library.

At least I attempted to.

I couldn't even make it three yards before Bonnie's voice deepened and I heard a cacophony of latin incantations fall out of her mouth. She stopped chanting once I stopped walking.

I laughed. That was the first thing I did to handle the situation presenting itself before me. It was short, and a bit dry, but it was a laugh alright.

Cocking my head over my shoulder, I took in how Bonnie was no longer sitting in a chair, but standing up, her wispy bangs hanging over her darkened green eyes.

"You wouldn't," I said, a chuckle caught tightly in my throat, almost as if I were trying to convince myself instead of her.

Bonnie's eyebrow arched. "You don't have a problem putting spells on everyone else, I thought it was fair game."

Ignoring her wasn't going to happen. I couldn't move. Just like the spell she put on me at the graveyard, only this was much stronger than before. At least I was somewhat mobile then. Now, every limb in my body was in her hands and that only pushed my anger harder into fruition.

"Let me go, Bonnie."

"Not until we're done talking."

"Bonnie, I got you a really cute wand and right now you're totally ruining your chances of seeing it."

Seriously, she didn't even care that I got her a nice wand to match my own. I hand picked it out according to what I thought hers would be like too!

I had to make one last plea before option B took over. "I've taken the spell off Elena, seriously, I don't want to get into a witchy voodoo war with you."

My limbs became back into my ownership once Bonnie heard that little revelation. Her balled fingers loosened and that magic I once felt, it dissipated. "You've...dropped the spell."

Surprise, surprise.

"Yeah. It's been off since yesterday," I said and she gave me a blank stare that mimicked the one I gave her not too long ago. "Why aren't you saying anything. Please say something and take that solemn look off your face."

"Elena still thinks it's on. She's confessing to Stefan right now."

Right now, as in while I was talking nonsensical bullshit to someone who had unwittingly set off a land mine?

"Why would she do that!" I screeched and had this place had actually been populated I probably would've been severely _shushed. _

"Because I convinced her to," Bonnie breathed out. "Wait, this is what you wanted anyway, for Elena to confess. Why are you all of a sudden against that?"

Because any slightest disappointment to Stefan would result in events that were catastrophic. Because while I was off in Lala Land with Damon things that weren't supposed to happen, happened.

This was bad. This was fucking bad.

"Lea, you're not telling me something. What aren't you-"

Every word that Bonnie attempted to say became unheard and silent. Her mouth moved away without a sound escaping from her as I quickly rendered her vocal chords useless with a mute spell. She couldn't notice, of course, and she went yapping away.

What was I supposed to do? This was not going according to the plan. I mean, this fit in perfectly with the old blueprint, but the new and revamped master plan did not involve Elena opening her big mouth.

If Bonnie was the one who was silent, why was I the one who couldn't breathe?

Do I go over to their house and intervene?

Or do I let everything play out and fix the results accordingly?

The pit of my stomach welled with dread as I made my decision.

I could not believe I was about to do this.

**C . B . D **

**Not the most interesting chapter, I know. But I wanted Lea to figure out that Elena knew from someone else. **

**Question: Was Lea putting a spell on Elena wrong?**

**I wonder which option Lea will choose, does she leave them be or does she try to mediate...**

**Next Chapter: Elena, Lea, Stefan.**


	20. Shit Has Hit the Fan

**That damn Radioactive song by Imagine Dragons... you know, the one that's in the trailer for the movie I'm planning on not seeing, _The Host_, well, it's been stuck in my head for days now. Help me. **

**Oh, and a quick question. Why isn't Silas being tortured endlessly by Jeremy's ghost? Wasn't Jeremy a hunter... didn't Silas kill Jeremy? Doesn't that mean that Silas should be getting served with one hell of a Hunter's Curse? Right? RIGHT? 맞아요**

**This show is dumb. **

**Chapter 20 – Shit Has Hit the Fan**

You would've thought my name was Usain Bolt by how fast I ran to prevent Elena's confession to Stefan. To my surprise, Bonnie didn't chase after me, she didn't tell me what I was doing was a bad idea, and just let me go.

Maybe she didn't want to get caught in the crosshairs of whatever was going on.

Didn't mean I wouldn't.

"Hello!" I screamed, body spinning in every direction as I checked all the rooms I could in the Salvatore boardinghouse. Each area in the robust mansion was deserted and bare. Not a creature was stirring. Not even a mouse.

Maybe they were at Elena's. Shit, I was going to be too late if that were the case.

"You put a spell on Elena?"

Turning around to face the colder-than-December voice of Stefan, all the air inside of me fizzled out like a balloon with no knot. Stefan's face usually was stone, emotionless and void, but right now it was ridden with rage. I could literally feel it consuming him. And while that would've put the normal person on guard, his anger only pissed me off along with him.

Wasn't this just like the Salvatores? To put Elena's faults aside and focus in on the lesser guilty party. I knew I fucked up royally, I got that, but how could my putting a spell on his girlfriend overshadow her cheating? I expected that from Damon, but not Stefan who was supposedly the reasonable one. Maybe we weren't as close as what I thought we were. Okay, I could deal with this. I was used the brothers disappointing me.

"You're mad at _me_ right now?"

"I trusted you." Stefan began pacing around his living room, no longer even looking my way. "I blamed Elena for being so distant and cold, but it wasn't her fault. It was yours."

He had to be fucking kidding me. It was my fault? I made Damon's dick go inside his her? I was only trying to help and be a good friend to him, I put my friendship with Elena aside because of him, and he didn't even care. And he thought that yelling at me was going to make things better? Oh no, it made them worse.

It was time for me to go back to my original plan and not speak to any of these idiots ever again. Fuck Elena and her princess pussy, fuck Damon and his bitch-made ways, and fuck Stefan with his ripper problems. They could all go and die a slow and painful death and I'd mourn them by throwing a party on their graves.

"You know what Stonehenge," I fumed, stomping around his house along with him. If he wanted to play the temper tantrum game then we could play. "Fuck you, man. Fuck you. You're acting like a girl right now. You're acting like a little bitch."

Stefan cocked his head in my direction, his eyes the tiniest of slits. "Excuse me?"

Did he think I was afraid of him?

"You're a pushover and a pansy who can't even stand up to his own girlfriend. Fuuuuuuuuuuuuck." I held out my last word until my voice had shriveled and my lungs burned. I then took a deep breath of much needed air to finish my sentence. "You."

Dissonant, sharp notes of chimes inside a grandfather clock screeched as Stefan threw me against it, my back probably cracking its glass casing from how hard I hit it. I swallowed down my scream and bit my lip to ignore the pain of Stefan's fingers sinking so deep into my forearms I thought he'd leave permanent marks on me.

How sad was this, I thought I'd be walking into a fight with Elena, but I ended up getting thrown around by one of my only friends left.

"I let you in, Lea. I told you secrets and confessions about me that not even Elena knows and you set out to ruin me and her." Stefan's tongue was a razorblade and his words cut into me. "Do you know how much restraint it's taking me not to kill you right now?"

Did none of them know realize that if I ever died at the hands of a vampire, they'd be fucked for the rest of their eternity? I'd already put a spell on me that would drive my murderer off the deep end until they killed themselves? She who laughs last, idiots.

"No... but I'll take a guess." My low blow probably was too soon, but his wound was still open and I was going to pour salt in that fucker. "Less than it's taking me to not hex your ass for life right now, but more than it took Elena when she spread her legs to Damon everyday behind your back for the past month."

I thought he was going to hit me, yell at my until my eardrums bled, or hell, give into his secret urges and bite me, but Stefan did none of those. Instead he let me go and all of that anger on his face became nothing but shock. He withdrew from me, staggering backwards as he processed my words.

"What?" he asked, all the venom he once contained evaporating. "What are you talking about."

The nauseating, sea-sick, two-many-times-spinning-around feeling that struck me made me wish that Stefan had hit me rather than stare at me with hurt and perplexed eyes. The fear penetrating his voice told me that what I said didn't upset him like I wanted it to, it disturbed him.

Stefan didn't know about Elena cheating on him just yet.

I'd gotten what I wanted and had intervened, but like an idiot I spilled every single bean in the can. By me trying to be vindictive, I made everything I was trying to avoid happen.

"Stefan, did you get rid of Lea yet, I have more I need to talk to you about." Elena tiptoed downstairs, childishly peaking around a corner to assess the damage I'd unwittingly done. Her dewey cheeks were stained with black steaks. She'd been crying.

"Did Damon ever leave town Elena?" Stefan rasped, not bothering to even look at her. He kept a steady focus on me instead and wished he didn't.

"Elena's hands flew to her mouth. What?"

What was I still doing here? I needed to leave. This was a bad idea and everything was entirely my fault.

"Have you been cheating on me with my brother?" I didn't know if Stefan could tell or not, but he was so mad that he was shaking.

Dear god, don't let him turn off his humanity. Please.

"You couldn't even let me tell him could you?" Elena yelled, trudging over my way like a cheetah does its prey. "You're really out to destroy my life. If you hated me so much why didn't you just tell me."

Again I was forced to face the unanswerable question regarding how I felt about Elena and why I'd put a spell on her. I just didn't fucking know. I was forced to make a decision and I didn't like any of the options I could choose from so I made my own.

"I don't hate you Elena." That was the truth. I may have hated her choices, and some of the things she'd done, but if I hated her then I would've never put my life on the line for her. I would've never jeopardized my family for her. Our friendship was in shambles, that wasn't disputable, but I didn't hate her.

"Yes you do. I've done nothing but be a good friend to you, and you go out of your way to make me miserable. Why?"

Really? This was what she wanted to talk about while her boyfriend was standing behind her literally seconds away from crumbling? This could wait. We had all the time in the world to purge our emotions. Stefan needed support and comfort right now.

"Elena, you and I can have our conversation later. You need to focus on your man."

Her hand flying to my wrist prevented me from letting them have their space. Why was everyone so intent on keeping me around when I'd overstayed my welcome. First Bonnie at the library, now her.

"No, you're not running away from this. Not now. I need to know why you'd do that to me."

I sighed. There was nothing I could've said to make her feel better. And this was not the appropriate time for her to worry about our dynamic. "I don't know."

"You gave me visions of Alaric." Tears fell from her eyes, some even falling onto the arm she'd grabbed ahold of. I was the biggest piece of shit in the universe. Every bit of sorrow she was feeling, I'd caused all of it. She genuinely wanted to make our friendship work and I put her through hell in return. What kind of person was I? "God Lea, you gave me visions of my mom and dad trying to kill me. I couldn't sleep at night because of you."

What? How did she get visions like that? My spell was only meant to attack her with insults and maybe the occasional mirage of someone like Vicki or even Lexi. But it wasn't supposed to bring back Alaric, and it definitely wasn't supposed to make her relive her parent's deaths.

"I... I didn't know you were getting hallucinations like that. They weren't in my control."

They were only meant to stem from her subconscious. Nothing more. Whatever those visions told her was how she thought about herself.

"That makes it okay?"

"No, it doesn't. And I'm sorry."

"Just like I'm sure you're sorry about going to Disney World with Damon right?"

I ripped my hand away from her. I was going to kill that eye-bulging, pussy whipped asshole! "He told you about that?"

"You both did!" Her brown eyes rolled. "Don't act like you don't fucking remember. I was calling him because I was having horrible visions, and you snatched the phone away and had no problem boasting about how he chose you over me. Stop playing dumb."

What was this crazy girl talking about?

"That conversation never happened."

And I don't know how on God's green Earth she envisioned something like that.

Or when she thought it was okay to start shoving me.

"And you want me to feel like the villain?" My body stumbled over itself with every push. And each one became harder and harder. She wanted to fight me, she was making that very apparent, but to my surprise, the feeling wasn't mutual. "No, you're an evil and manipulative-"

I screamed, jerking myself backwards from the sudden sneak attack Stefan gave Elena. Remember that grandfather clock he'd thrown me against? It was demolished after he rammed her head through it, glass sprinkling the floor like pieces of confetti. Buckling to the ground, Elena's body was bloody and unconscious, her hair swirling around her head like a halo.

"When she wakes up-"

I let out another yelp once Stefan began speaking. It was my turn to get lashed at and I wasn't too excited for that.

"Lea, calm down," he said, hands that once hurt his former (was it safe to assume that they weren't together anymore?) girlfriend now cupped my face. Stefan may have been speaking to me in a sweet voice, but he couldn't hide the crazy jouncing in his eyes. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"Okay." I nodding, reaching into my pocket and held onto my bag of gris-gris just in case he was lying.

"Before she wakes up, I want her gone."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Drag her out of here. Do what you have to."

So he was leaving me in charge of a knocked out, backstabbed vampire?

"And take her where?"

"You're imaginative, figure something out." He smiled and it didn't put me at ease. Stefan was mad. I mean, he just spent ten minutes not saying a word as Elena and I argued and the first thing he did after his moment of silence was flip his shit. It was fair to say that Stefan wasn't thinking pleasant thoughts and wasn't about to do pleasant things. "The sight of her right now isn't something that's helping my situation, okay?"

"Okay," I said, understanding that 'situation' was code word for his ripper ways. "Stefan, I owe you one serious apology."

Because none of this would've ever happened had I not thought putting a spell on Elena was the most genius idea.

"No, no you don't. But I owe you one. And maybe I'll be able to properly give you one some other time" That sounded much dirtier than what I think he meant. Maybe. Who knew what was going on in that mind of his. "But right now, I've gotta go."

He stepped over Elena's body like he didn't even know the girl. I, like some obsessed fangirl, followed Stefan's every footstep and trailed behind him. This wasn't good. Stefan was usually the type who could talk out his feelings, but right now, he seemed light-hearted. Jovial even. Why was he trying to hide how he really felt in front of me?

"Where?"

"Don't worry, I not going to kill anyone. Anyone human that is."

I noticed the handfuls, upon handfuls of vervain Stefan was picking up and putting into bags. He grabbed them with bare hands too, his skin sizzling like water on a hot griddle as he touched the vampire-repellent.

"Stefan, I'm going to worry unless you tell me."

A knife was added to the baggy.

"Brotherly bonding. You wouldn't understand."

A stake.

"What?"

Stefan gave me one last smile before leaving me to fret over his final words.

"I think Damon and I need to talk," he said. "I mean, it's been a month. We've got tons of catching up to do."

**C . B . D **

**Good, bad, anticlimactic? **

**Give me your honest and raw reviews! **

**Don't know the next time I'll be updating. Right now I'm really trying to focus on Penn Kennedy, who if you don't know is my newest character for my upcoming Klaus/Hybrid OC story. Yes ma'am, another Klaus story.**

**Question: Elijah or Kol? **

**Next Chapter: The Salvatores.**


	21. I Need a Drink

**Kol 6 - Elijah 3**

**I love both. I like reading Kol fics more than Elijah, but Elijah is the more interesting character in the show. **

**Lol, some of you thought I was asking this because I wanted to know who to show in my story. **

**Maybe, maybe not. **

**PMs will be responded to soon. Pinky swear. **

**Chapter 21 – I Need a Drink**

Damon Salvatore did what he always did in times of distress and peril. He drank away his very insignificant existence.

Whiskey slid down his throat, the burning of the alcohol not having as much _kick! _as what it used to. Decades of downing his favorite brand of problem-ignoring-serum had taken its toll. Dare he say, he'd grown immune to the drink?

Or maybe he was seriously depressed this one rare occurrence.

For the first time in a while, Damon Salvatore had fucked up. Royally.

Sure, Damon was always doing careless things that usually sabotaged his plans, he liked to blame his impulsiveness and lack of patience for that, but this wasn't like the other times he may have screwed up. This couldn't be fixed with a little compulsion and manipulation. No, this had the downtrodden vampire feeling an emotion he wasn't particularly fond of. Sorrow and regret.

Not even alcohol could cure him. How sad.

He halfway suspected that Lea was to blame for that. He gave her an abundance of humiliation to last her a lifetime, she'd take away one of his only joys in return.

How could he have been so stupid! How could he have said Elena's name instead of hers. He should've fucking kept is mouth shut, that's what he should've done. Because now, after two years of working endlessly just to get her to kiss him back, he killed any chances of them being together with just the simple utter of the wrong name. All they shared unraveled and couldn't be repaired.

He didn't know how to apologize to her and it wasn't because of his pride and dickish ways. Their relationship was so beyond comprehension that he literally had no clue of how to express his guilt. Talking wasn't an option because any time they talked it ended up in an argument. Plus, she was giving him the cold shoulder.

He could always buy her something but wouldn't that mean their relationship was materialistic? The only option Damon could come up with that would redeem himself was ridding Elena from his life entirely. Which he couldn't do.

But Elena was avoiding him! He hadn't seen or heard from her in days. She'd called him endlessly while he was away with Lea but now wasn't answering his calls just like the voodooist.

Women. Who needs them.

He did. They were the only thing that made life worth living.

Flipping out his phone, Damon reluctantly made the first move and sent Lea a text. He wanted to call her but she probably wasn't ready to fully communicate with him.

"_I miss you." _

What a cheesy thing to say! Why did he text that! Why didn't he say something charming, suave, something that didn't make him sound like a wimp. He should've said, "Miss me yet?" That was more like him and less boyish. God, he wanted to delete that message entirely, but he'd stupidly sent it to her without thinking his words out carefully!

She didn't seem to care. Her reply came back without too much of him waiting.

"_That's what my kisses do, Salvatore. ;)" _

His smile bloomed as he read her words. They were back to being friends. No... they couldn't have been. This was too good to be true. Lea was petty and vindictive, she had something up her sleeve and was trying to convince him otherwise.

Still didn't stop him from texting her back.

"_I'm sorry." _

She gave another quick reply.

"_All is forgiven, chickenshit." _

He didn't know how, but by the grace of some higher power, the two began texting back and forth without letting the other wait for more than a minute. They'd gotten back into the swing of things without a hassle.

"_Chickenshit?" _

"_You didn't call me." _

"_I'm busy." _

"_Liar. But you will be." _

"_You're coming over?" _

"_No." _

"_Then how will I be busy?" _

"_The end is nigh."_

Damon stared at his phone with a burning gaze, the cogs of his brain twisting like a Rubik's Cube as he tried to decipher Lea's cryptic messages. If she wasn't coming over and had some weird perception that he was going to be preoccupied, then who would be the one keeping him busy?

Sighing, Damon could've thrown the drink in his hand at a wall by how upset he became. She was playing him! Just like how he thought she was but idiotically convinced himself otherwise. She was going to put another spell on him and reignite the hate portion of their relationship. He couldn't keep doing this. It was getting tiring. Mind games were his forte, but this was exhausting.

Quickly grabbing his vibrating phone, Damon's eyebrow raised at Lea's odd text.

_"Lose my number and don't text me again." _

Which was soon followed by another message.

"_Enjoy the rest of your night, bitch." _

He would've responded, in fact, he was going to call her so he could attempt to understand her bizarre words, but the knocks seeping through his door washed away all his cares in the world.

The only person in the world who seemed to get him as of lately finally decided to give him a warm welcome back reception.

Damon could always count on Elena to brighten up his days and nights.

Even if he hardly thought about her when he was with Lea. Which was inexplainable.

"Elena, you wouldn't believe how happy I am to-" Damon's mouth became as dry as the whiskey in his glass upon seeing his fucking visitor.

This was no Elena Gilbert. Not even close.

A hollowness swelled inside of the forlorn vampire like waking up from a dream you never wanted to end only to return to a horrible reality.

Damon's month of bliss and joy was finally finito.

"Brother," Stefan said, and Damon knew that his brother was aware of everything just by the way his square jaw clenched and how his nose flared like a Chinese dragon.

In a blink of an eye, Damon knew he was going to revert back to being the unwanted, lesser than, murderous piece of scum man he was.

So he acted as such.

"Elena, this is a terrible get-up you have on. It's too kinky even for me."

Damon knew his brother. He was boiling with anger and hate, but would try to take a more civilized approach to things. He lacked action, which was how he lost Elena in the first place.

"Funny. You mind if I come in?"

"Actually, I d-"

The door to Damon's apartment almost took his head off by how hard Stefan rammed it open. Little brother pushed his way inside, not giving the slightest of a care that he spilled some of Damon's drink on his expensive shirt in the process as he barged past him. Ooooh, baby brother _was_ mad. How funny.

"That's fine, make yourself at home."Wiping at the stain on his shirt, Damon closed the door behind him. "Drink?"

It was what a good host would do. And besides, Stefan never drank with him.

Stefan took in Damon's cheap apartment, floorboards croaking beneath him as he traipsed about. "Sure."

"Sure? Okay, let's end this right here and now." Damon didn't have the time to actually sit and listen to his brother gripe and bitch to him. He was having a terrible fucking day and didn't need the judgement. Because let's face it, Damon Salvatore didn't care about how hurt his brother was. He'd do it again. Over and over and over if it meant having happiness for even a second. "Get out your boo hoos and your feelings. Tell me how much you hate me and how Elena will never choose me. Blah, blah, blah, complain, complain, complain."

"Woah, jumping the gun there aren't we, Damon?" Stefan said. "I don't want Elena. You can have her."

Damon didn't want him to repeat it, because it was too good to be true, but he was truly taken aback by his brother's indifferent approach. "What?"

Twisting open a beer that he'd taken upon himself to get, Stefan sat on one of the many counters aligning the kitchen.

"What, do I have to fucking interpretive dance it out for you to understand?" He took a swig of his Heineken. "I don't. Want Elena." His finger moved along with his each syllable like Damon was reading a book and needed assistance pronouncing the words.

Well, he couldn't say that he didn't see this coming. Yes, it may have been surprising to see Stefan give in so easily, but come on, the love on his life cheated on him with his brother. If he were to stay with her after that then that made him... well, a little bitch.

"You're accepting your loss like a champ, Stefan. You deserve a trophy."

"No, I lost Elena to you. There's no denying that." For a second, Damon could see all of Stefan's emotions dance in his eyes. The hurt, the shame, the sadness. Damon had most likely played a key part in it all. But Stefan burned it all away with a blink and the tinge in his green eyes returned to that same cruel expression he gave back in his ripper days. "But if you think for a second that it was because you won her fairly then you're delusional. You only won her because I became a ripper."

Lies. Damon won Elena because Elena was in love with him and out of love with Stefan.

But that wasn't going to be his response. Damon wouldn't be Damon if he didn't make matters worse for everyone.

"That was your choice." A cold thing to say, but it was the truth wasn't it?

"It was. It surely was." Stefan nodded. "I chose to save my brother over keeping the love of my life."

"I would've won Elena no matter what. It was only a matter of time."

"We can't really test out that theory can we? All we can do is hypothesize."

"No, we did test it out. When you came back into your senses and switched your humanity back on I laid off. I backed away, but looky looky, Elena still wanted me. The Damon Salvatore Charm never fails."

"Right, the Damon Salvatore charm. Which consists on harping over a taken woman until she pities you so much that she can't help but get sucked into your bullshit."

Damn, that ripped into Damon more that he should've ever let it. That tore a part his pride and his ego. He didn't see it the same way everyone else did. While everyone else condemned him as the brother who pined after a taken woman, Damon was actually yearning for someone else. There was a point in time where he had no emotional attachment to Elena and wanted every single bit of Lea. But she rejected him, over and over again until he couldn't take it and moved on. Elena inevitably took her place.

But for Stefan to tell Damon that the only way Elena could ever like him was out of pity drove him insane.

"And what would've been the Stefan thing to do... hmm... you're not really charming are you? You just sit and brood and bitch."

"I do that well enough to have Lea liking me." Damon could've ripped Stefan's heart out for bringing up Lea. Damon knew, he fucking saw all the warning signs that led to Stefan and Lea liking each other. It was all a part of that cliché where the two lonely rejects find happiness with each other. It was a bad storyline you only saw in books or television. Stefan was going to use Lea's growing affection for him as an arguing tactic. "That's right... you want her too. It's a shame actually, she _really _did like you. Liked you even after seeing all your faults. Oh, but you lost her. You lost her fair and square. You didn't have to make a deal with the enemy to save someone, you didn't become the very thing you loathed in order to ensure your brother's safety – you lost her all on your own."

Damon needed to get ahold of his emotions. They were arguing about women. How. Fucking. Plebeian.

But this was actually a first for them. They'd never argued about Lea before. Elena he could handle, but not Stefan wanted _his _voodooist.

"Lea is off limits whether I'm with Elena or not."

"And I should respect that-"

"You don't have a choice"

"-Just like you respected our deal to leave town?" Stefan spat spitefully. "If Lea wants me as much as I think she does, I'm not turning her down. I won't make the mistake you did."

That was it. That was the straw that broke the camel's pissed off back. Damon's next few words would be an eye opener for Saint Stefan, and he was counting on it to send his brother over the deep end right along with him.

"I was going to leave town, Stefan." Closing the distance between the two, Damon couldn't wait to see Stefan break and turn into rubble at his words. "But Elena, she begged me to stay. Said that if I left she'd go with me and leave you behind. And you know how emotional women get in times like that. Open hearts lead to open legs."

What was all the more enjoyable about Damon's revelation was that it was nothing but the truth. He was going to respect their deal had it not been for Elena stopping him and coercing him to stay. That she loved him and had grown tired of boring, controlling Stefan. So Damon had actually won. For once, he got to smell the sweet scent of victory.

But that scent only began to grow all the more coppery with the smell of Damon's blood intermingling with it.

He didn't see it coming, or the knife stashed in Stefan's back pocket, but he most certainly felt the serrated blade glide across his throat effortlessly. Pain erupted inside of Damon, blindingly so. Crimson coated his pale fingers as he tried holding the wound close.

Gasping for air, the insides of his mouth sizzled and melted away as vervain was shoved down it. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't escape. Damon tried to fighting back but was helpless against his furious younger brother.

Stefan's hand gripped Damon's mouth shut, preventing him from doing anything but choking down the toxic plant.

Were did Stefan find this new strength and speed. How could sticking to a diet of bunnies and squirrels allow Stefan to overpower a man like Damon?

Because little brother wasn't as much of a saint as he liked to pretend.

Little brother was eating humans.

Bloody teeth clenching so hard he could feel them begin to break away, Damon groaned at the feel of a stake ripple through his tissue and muscle. It stopped just at the point of no return. The sharp tip of the stake was precipice of Damon's immortality.

"You should be thanking me, brother, I'm giving you Elena. I don't want to fight for her. Because she's not worth fighting for. If there were two people who ever deserved each other, it would be the two of you." A grim smile plastered itself to Stefan's wicked visage. He was enjoying torturing Damon. "But if I want Lea, and trust me I do, then there's nothing you or anyone else in this hellhole can do to stop me."

Damon wouldn't allow it to happen. He'd fight to his last breath keeping Lea from him.

"And if you try," Stefan laughed. "Well, let this be an example of what I'll do. Only next time, it'll be permanent."

A snap that Damon knew all too well of rang in his ear like a church bell. He should've thanked Stefan for breaking his neck, the pain was becoming unbearable. But as the blackness overtook him and his consciousness faded, the temporarily dead vampire was sure of only two things.

One – Lea was his.

And two – Damon was finally coming back to Mystic Falls, and as soon as he woke up there'd be hell to pay.

**C . B . D**

**I know, I know, I like seeing the Brothers bond just like everyone else. But that won't be happening in this story for those who want it to. I'm sorry, no brotherly love in Cold Black Days.**

**Do you know how glad I am that everything is out in the open? About time. Now we can see ish like Damon, Stefan, and Lea. Or Damon, Elena, Lea. Or Damon, Stefan, Elena. **

**Huzzah!**

**Question: Whose fault is it that Damon and Lea aren't together? **

**I may have to side with Damon on this issue. I don't think he's the one to blame for the most part. **

**Next Chapter: Bad-boy Stefan and Lea**


	22. Patience is a Virtue

**Wanna hear a sad story? **

**Once upon a time, there was a magnificent girl named Chocolate Boy. The one thing Chocolate Boy valued more than anything in the land was her MacBook. She slept with her macbook, shined her MacBook's bitten apple. Hell, she even shut down her MacBook from time to time to let it get its beauty sleep. **

**But then, about five days ago, her fucking MacBook decided to be a dick and freeze while she was in the midst of writing one of the many pms she had to reply to. So what does she do after she waits thirty minutes for it to unfreeze, she manually restarts it. **

**The hardrive fries and has to be replaced. **

**The beautiful MacBook was dead. **

**Chocolate Boy, while magnificent, was also very dumb and didn't back up any of her files. She lost many, many stories due to her ignorance and blatant stupidity. Such as. **

**5 chapters of her Supernatural rewrite. **

**4 chapters of her I Wanna Do Bad Things With You sequel**

**3 chapters of Cold Black Days**

**2 chapters of the hardest story she's ever written, her Klaus/Hybrid OC story**

**And a partridge in a pear tree. **

**She never foresaw her precious MacBook betraying her in such a crude way. She thought they were buddies! But now she has learned a very valuable lesson.**

**Technology is never your friend. **

**It is the Devil. **

**Chapter 22 – Patience is a Virtue  
**

The closing of his eyes didn't incinerate the vile images of Elena sleeping with Damon replaying in his head. Isolating himself from every breathing soul in the city didn't quench his desires. The mist of sweat adorning his exposed back didn't assuage his icy body.

But the turning off of his humanity, that fixed Stefan's broken heart with ease.

The light footsteps of a person traipsing about Mystic High caught the forlorn vampire's attention. He quickly weeded out the possibilities of who the intruder was. Damon would put more effort into camouflaging his presence so he could get revenge, Elena would've been an idiot to try and talk to him right now, so that left one person.

Just the person he wanted to see.

"Stefan, seriously?"

Peaking open just one of his eyes, Stefan smiled as he caught sight of the worrisome voodooist staring him down. He figured Lea would come to see him, but not so soon. The night wasn't even over with and it was three in the morning. She should've been snuggly tucked in her bed, safe and sound from men like him. Instead, she probably made a horrible mistake. Not that he was complaining. He was about to have himself some fun.

"You mad at me?" he asked, not really caring if she was.

"Yes!" she said. "I don't want to come to school ever, let alone at three in morning when I'm not supposed to be here."

Boo hoo. She'd live. Maybe. The verdict was still out on that.

"I didn't ask you to come find me. And I don't need your pity or your cliché apologies. I'm fine."

"You're laying on a cafeteria table shirtless. Methinks you've hit rockbottom." Maybe, had his humanity been turned on, he would've felt as if he had. The old Stefan would've sulked and bitched and wallowed, but how boring was that? The old Stefan was such a downer. Now, the only things piercing his heart was hunger and horniness.

And it just so happened that the only person he wanted to fix that was standing right in front of him.

"Really? Then what have you hit, Lea, because you're worse off than I am."

"What?"

Truth time. She wanted to pity him? They were in the same sinking boat. She could shove her pity.

"You knew about Damon being in town. You two must've spent plenty of time together, but wait, he still wants Elena. I'm sure you tried your hardest to get him to back away from her and it only made you look foolish. I bet that trip you two went on sealed the deal on where you stand. You're second best. You always have been and always will be first runner up. How's silver taste?"

"You're the one who was getting cheated on and was too stupid to see it, why don't you tell me."

"Nice try." Laughing, Stefan gave Lea a round of applause that mocked her valiant efforts to one-up him. "Have you forgotten that not too long ago, you found out that your boyfriend was cheating on you too. You're _lower _than I am. You're delusional and a sham of who you used to be. You're weak."

She flinched as if she'd been struck. His words hurt her. He saw it in the way she looked at him, the way her scent emitted from her more and more, the way her eyes were slick with... was she about to cry?

Stefan never saw her cry. Ever.

After all the countless deaths they'd seen, after all their loved ones perished, the most emotion he'd gotten from her was maybe a bit of depression here and there. But tears, actual tears, Stefan didn't think she could produce those.

Why did he suddenly regret his word choice? That wasn't supposed to happen, not with him turning off his humanity. Regret and sympathy weren't a part of the package that came with ridding yourself of feelings.

Neither was his urge to apologize.

She went to turn around and run away from him, but Stefan didn't allow it. Before she could fully take a step he had already blocked her exit, appearing in front of her path.

"Move," she grit, voice sounding hoarse like she'd been strangled. But no, her pretty neck was fine. For now.

Stefan smiled, knowing it would irk her. "Make me."

Glaring daggers into him, she stepped the side.

And so did he.

Then to the opposite side.

And he followed, preventing her from leaving him. Stefan used to let Elena walk away whenever they fought, he wasn't doing it again with Lea.

What Lea did that Elena didn't do however, was hit him.

Or at least attempted to.

She swung at him, actually swung at him, and it would've landed had he not been a vampire and had lightning-quick reflexes. Mid-swing, Stefan grabbed ahold of her frail wrist and for the first time realized just how breakable she was. This guarded, over-the-top, emotionally closed off woman standing before him the most human he'd seen her. One of the strongest women he knew was breaking down from all her caged in emotions.

He knew the feeling.

And turned it off.

But that didn't mean that Stefan wasn't fully aware of how to help – the both of them.

By doing something he'd wanted to for a long, long time.

Grip loosening just a smidgen, Stefan slowly drew Lea's body to his own, the feel of her shirt whispering over his bare skin. She stiffened against him, becoming about as inflexible as a starch ironed clothes. But her eyes spoke differently. Almost as if they were pleading for him to continue.

He gave her what she wanted.

He kissed her, tenderly, delicately, being swept away by the foreign territory. His arms were around her as if she were so fragile a soft gust of wind would carry her away from him. Stefan was a good boy with how patiently he waited for this. And it surpassed his expectations.

What he wasn't expecting however, was the swell of his humanity wanting to burst at the seams because of her.

He thought he was trapping her in his web, it was the other way around.

The feel of his heart shattering at Elena's betrayal began to spread like pestilence. The sullen, raw feeling of loneliness was being to sink in and weaken him.

He wanted to turn his feelings back on for the woman tracing his face with her fingers. Not anyone else.

He knew being the way he was now, a careless, smug asshole, wasn't what Lea deserved.

And yet, even with all that weighing heavily on him, he didn't allow himself to feel that vulnerability. He ran from it and went back to becoming the man unfit for the woman in his grasp. Because whether his emotions were on or not, it didn't change how he felt for her.

"This is wrong," she breathed as he released her lips from his captivity. "You're with Elena."

Her word choice was odd. Stefan always figured that her protests would be Damon related. But she didn't bring him up. She was more concerned over his relationship with his whore of an ex than how this would impact her failing dynamic with his brother.

Maybe she was over him.

"She and I are done." Turning her around, Stefan cradled her back to him. "We have been for a while now."

Prior to Elena's transition they just hadn't been the same anymore. Maybe it was because of him being a ripper, maybe it was because of Damon and his so-called 'charms', or maybe they'd just fallen out of love with each other. But putting effort into that relationship was stressful and not worth it. It was beating a dead horse.

She didn't seem to believe him. "It hasn't been a week yet and you're over her?"

"Humanity on or not." The buttons to Lea's coat opened one by one as Stefan unfastened them. Peeling the unnecessary clothing off her, the coat fell to the floor. Just one of many pieces that would soon be discarded. "I can't keep denying your affect on me."

Control wasn't one of Stefan's strong suits so you could imagine how much restraint it took him to not rip Lea's clothes off upon hearing her moan as he kissed her shoulder. He was going to make her do it again, and again, and again. He could only hope that she oblivious to how much of a hold she truly had on him. It wasn't healthy.

"You don't even like me," she continued on with her insecurity-filled protests. "And Elena will always be a part of your life."

"Lea, you really need to work on the dirty talk," he joked. Hand disappearing beneath her blouse, his fingers learned the curves and pathways of her soft body. "And I think you have me mistaken for my brother. I don't need Elena to be a part of my life. The only reason I'm still in this town is because of you."

His free hand flew to her hair, yanking it so her head would loll onto his shoulder and give him a better access to her neck. Hey, a little roughness never hurt.

"Right, because you want to sleep with me to get back at your brother. Revenge 101."

"I've wanted you before I knew about what they were doing, you know that. And I wouldn't do that to you. Not after all you've done for me."

"Liar."

This was worse than what he thought, Lea really had no self-confidence.

He'd fix that later, he was currently too enthralled by the way her flesh tasted against his tongue as he traced the vein in her neck to care. God, it made him weak at the knees.

"You don't drink vervain?"

He didn't smell its repulsive scent intertwining with her blood.

"I wear a necklace."

"But still, what if someone tried to drink from you? What would you do to defend yourself."

"Depends," she whispered.

"On?"

Her response wasn't what he imagined her ever saying to him.

"If I wanted him to drink from me or not."

Stefan should've questioned her after hearing those words. Had he been in his right mind he would've.

But he wasn't. He was far from it.

Veins protruding through the thin layer of skin beneath his eyes, Stefan's fangs lengthened after hearing what was too good to be true. Lea had openly invited him to do what he knew he'd be aching to do.

And just for that, he'd make it hurt as less as possibly could. The pain only lasted for a second anyway.

He slid the tip of his fangs inside her, slowly, carefully, taking his time to not intrude mercilessly. The scarring would've been more apparent had he. Once he felt his teeth being drowned with a sticky sweet liquid, he withdrew, earning him another pleasurable moan as he latched his lips against the two draining holes.

This was exactly what he wanted, for months he envisioned it happening, and now that it finally was he was going to appreciate the moment as if he were going to be staked the next night. He was going to revel in it. The taste of her blood filling his, her labored breaths tickling his ear, her hands raking through his hair. It was overwhelming. He almost couldn't take it.

"Oh my God," she cried against him. "Damon."

Laughing against her skin, Stefan's nails lightly dug into her as payback. "That's not funny."

"No." Her voice grew serious. "Damon."

Opening his eyes, Stefan could've screamed at what he saw.

Sitting atop of the cafeteria table parallel to him, feet resting on the benches meant for sitting, was Stefan's coward of a brother.

See, he knew Damon would make an appearance as silently as possible. And had it not been for Lea's blood captivating him, Stefan would've noticed.

"Don't mind me," Damon quipped, emptying the bag of Cheetos he must've bought from a vending machine into his mouth. He smacked loudly. "Just enjoying the show. I'll wait until you both are finished before I kill you."

**C . B . D**

**The original version of this chapter was much better. Still had fun writing this. A lot of the dialogue changed. **

**Are you all mad that Lea gave into Stefan?**

**Question: When Vampire Diaries ends, what pairings do you want to be together? **

**Bamon, Steroline, Elena/Matt (what's their pairing name?), and Klaus gets with me.**

**The only option that seems possible would be Bamon. Soooo. Realistically, it would be. **

**Bamon, Stelena, Caroline/Tyler, Matt and his hand, and Klaus gets with me.**

**Next chapter: Lea, Damon, Stefan**


	23. I'm a Fangbanger!

**I'm about to rant. You all know how I get when things bother me.**

**I'm glad I didn't watch the MTV Movie Awards. Trash shit.**

**And even though I didn't watch that stank award show, I did wikipedia the results just to know. And there is only one thing that has upset me beyond belief.**

**When. In all the fuck. Did Loki make a better villain than Calvin Candie?**

**NOT TO EVEN MENTION GAWTDAMN BANE.**

**Bitch, please.**

**No, I don't want to turn this into a DC vs Marvel thing and no, I'm not trying to knock Loki's hustle or anything because I like him as an anti-hero, but I'm just utterly confused.**

**Like, I get that the Avengers has a bigger fanbase and more people like Tom Hiddleston than Tom Hardy in the battle of the Toms so he was a shoe in as the winner. Hooooowever...**

**Loki was the absolute worst villain I have ever seen.**

**Yeah, I said it.**

**Loki fucking sucked in the movie. I was underwhelmed.**

**Went to theaters on my birthday to see TDKR and I came out of the movie knowing gawtdamn every Bane line because he actually got shit done and was the most exciting thing in the film. Tom Hardy had the hardest task in the world, to make a villain just as impressive as the Joker, and he succeeded.**

**I saw the Avengers right...**

**What did Loki do?**

**Someone, please tell me.**

**What. Did Loki. Do?**

**Did he get anything accomplished?**

**The Joker put fear in every living soul in Gotham and made Batman go into hiding like a little bitch for eight years. He killed his girl and drove Harvey Dent insane. #Success!**

**Bane crippled Batman, fucked up everything in his path that wasn't his bitch, and did I mention, whooped Batman's ass for two hours and forty-five minutes. #Success!**

**Calvin Candie pit slaves against each other in Mandingo fights, gave an amazing speech at the dinner table with glass embedded in his hand, and actually won the damn battle before everything went apeshit. #LeoShould'veBeenNominatedForAnOscar**

**But... What did Loki do?**

**Okay, easier question.**

**What did Loki say that was soooo amazeballs?**

**And don't give me that, "Kneel before me" shit.**

**Fuck MTV**

"**Kneel before me."**

**Please.**

**Kneel before dis dick.**

**Chapter 23 – I'm a Fangbanger!**

Everything and everyone around me began moving in slow motion. Since my mind couldn't process what was going on, it just decided to ignore it. The color of the world around me desaturated and transitioned into a swampy monochrome – greys bleeding into each other like fresh ink on a newspaper. I couldn't hear anything, taste the aftereffects of Stefan's kisses, feel the tingling he imprinted on my lips, or move from out of my shocked and petrified state.

All I could do was stand as still as a statue, left with my mortified thoughts to destroy me.

I let Stefan bite me.

And Damon saw it all happening.

What was going on with me?

I knew Stefan wanted to, I knew that it was going to happen or he was going to at least try, and I didn't put up any bit of a fight. Part of me actually wanted it and part of me loved the way it felt.

That terrified me.

I was a strong woman. I didn't need a man to make me happy or someone to tell me that I was pretty. I didn't need to be coerced that I was special and deserved to be loved unconditionally. I didn't need someone to play fucking savior for me. That wasn't Aaliyah James.

Yet, that's what I'd been reduced down to.

Stefan was right, I was a sham of who I used to be – of what I prided myself on being. I was weak.

I let Stefan feed from me because for a split second I believed his lies and fell in love with the thought of me being the most important thing in someone's life. The thought of me being the only thing to satiate his hunger was new and exhilarating. He was convincing, I was vulnerable, and he won.

For now.

"Someone's turned their humanity off."

The patronizing sing-song voice of Damon was what pulled me from my Ichigo-Kurosaki-Inner-World meditation. Color infused itself back into my vision and my senses rammed into me at full force.

Good grief, my neck felt horribly. Like Leatherface took his chainsaw to it.

This is what Fangbangers did on a regular?

"So what? None of you liked me the way I was before anyway. At least now I can finally have fun." Stefan's grin couldn't be contained even if you sewed his lips together. I didn't know if is was because he had finally fed from me or that he was glad Damon saw it. "And this also means that as much as you want to kill me, you can't."

Damon laughed that irritating laugh he knew got under everyone's skin. Stefan seemed to be immune to it now though. "Now, now, Stefan, why would you be so stupid to think something like that?"

"Aside from me stopping you if you tried?" I spoke up for Stefan, glaring something fierce into Damon's soul. He gave me a gave little wave where each of his fingers moved wriggled in the air and I could've killed him all on my own after seeing that pompous ass wave. This was our first meet up after Disney World and I was still pissed off.

I found myself shuffling backwards as Stefan pulled be towards him. I didn't even notice that my fists were balled and I was marching towards his older brother.

"The fact that while you're still feeding from disgusting blood bags, I'm getting my nutrients from the source," Stefan said, fingers skimming on my sore neck before I jerked away from his touch. He'd already gotten what he wanted though and took his two sanguine soaked fingers into his mouth one by one, relishing in the taste of me.

This was just craziness.

And so was how angry Damon got at the sight of Stefan's taunting gesture.

"Lea, get over here. Now," he ordered like I was some puppy. "I don't know why the fuck you're acting like this-"

"Because she likes me." Sighing happily, Stefan made it sound like his brother was an imbecile for not picking up on that earlier. "And I must say I like her too, brother."

I didn't like Stefan... okay, I did. But... I just... he was with Elen... this was so...

Ugh. Fuck me.

"No," Damon said, as if the notion of Stefan and I together was repulsive. "You're doing this to get back at Elena. And Lea, you're doing this to get back at me. And that's fine. Ha, ha, ha, you got me, I learned my lesson. But now it's over."

I'd liked Stefan for a while now. Damon had nothing to do with my feelings for his brother or why I thought Stefan was absolutely gorgeous. Now, Stefan may have been doing this to get sweet, sweet revenge on Elena, but I seriously hoped he wasn't. It was naïve of me to think this, but there was a sliver of hope in me that believed him. The fact was, both Salvatores viewed love very differently and I would put money on Stonehenge getting over Princess Puss before Squiggly Eyes could.

"You have Elena now, Damon. All your dreams have come true. You're finally not the lovesick lonely brother. Why do you care what Lea and I do?"

"Did you think I was kidding when I said she was off limits?" Were these two fighting over me right now? And by the sound of it, this wasn't the first time. Woah, this was new. And it felt great. Good enough to make me forget about my aching neck and the fact that I was a bit of a ho. "This is over with. I'll kill both of you before I let it happen."

Stefan took the dare, doing as I once did and stalked towards his older brother.

"And did you think I was kidding when I told you what I'd do if you tried to stop me."

Stefan had threatened Damon over me today. While he was supposed to be stopping by Damon's apartment to tear him a new one, and I was sure he did, part of what was said between the two during it had to deal with me. Stefan told Damon to back off and if he didn't, he'd kill him.

Maybe he _was_ being serious about wanting me.

I couldn't let my flattery cloud my judgement. Someone was about to receive the true death and I had to stop it.

"How about we all sit down and talk this out like adults tomorrow evening." What a stupid fucking thing of me to say. But it was better than letting them fight it out. "The two of you, Elena, and myself can all drink alcohol and cry out all feels. And I can even call Iyanla Vanzant to see if she wants to fix our lives."

They both looked at me with contrasting faces. Stefan was smiling, as if he were taking my words like a really bad joke. Damon however, scowled the deepest darkest scowl in the universe and his all consuming eyes judged every square inch of me.

Oh, so he was mad at _me_ now? Wasn't that funny.

"Nice try, Lea," Damon quipped and three deafening blasts pieced the lunchroom, only to be amplified by the acoustics. Reflexes shocked and startled by the off guard noise, I flinched so hard that I thought I'd left my skin. Before I could process what'd happened, more earsplitting explosions followed the first round and a blur of movements dashed around the cafeteria.

Mouth opened, ready to ask each brother were they okay and what'd happened, I got my explanation after noticing the slew of wooden bullets spinning like dreidels on the floor.

Dammit, Damon brought a gun.

Unless that really was a gun in Stefan's pocket I felt when he held me.

"You always had the worst aim," Stefan taunted, casually leaning against the entrance door as if he wasn't just sneak attacked. Not a single scratch adorned his impressive body. "Even when you were human and fought in the war you still couldn't aim."

I couldn't find Damon. My eyes searched the room, but he was hidden away.

Even when he spoke I couldn't make out his position.

"Do you want to do this fairly, no guns, no weapons, no trickery."

"Now, Damon, since when did you play fair?"

"I'm giving you the option now. Choose the way you want to die."

This was all really stupid. Why did anyone have to die? Why was it that whenever vampires got pissed their first reaction was always one that involved killing someone. Couldn't they go against the grain and act like... I dunno, brothers?

"Am I really going to have to do a spell to put an end to you two," I asked, completely over their fighting. "Because I swear if I have to do one right now, you're not going to like my first choice."

Both would end up falling unconscious and would wake up as a woman.

Come on, that was hilarious.

Especially since fanfiction writers did stories like that. I read one and it got me curious, what would Damon and Stefan actually be like as women.

Needless to say, I found a way I could make it happen.

"How about this." Stefan offered a totally different way to solve things. "It's three-thirty five right now and I am starving. Damon, you have until three-fourty to kill me before I start slaughtering the town. And not just the humans. Elena is going to die right along with them."

Why would Stefan want to play a game like this. Of all the times for him to be a dick, it had to be when I was sleep deprived and had school in four hours. Wiping my hands over my face, I tried to rid myself of all the exasperation harboring on me. Stefan was out of control and I think my blood may have worsened it. My blood was supposed to do the opposite of what it was currently.

And now Stefan was giving me an open invitation to get involved between him and his brother. He knew I didn't want to pick teams and yet here I was, choosing the side of someone I couldn't stand.

"Lea, I know you'll be on Damon's side, no hard feelings, I still love you." He pouted, making a puppy dog face before his hands formed a heart. Asshole. He looked adorable doing it, but was still an asshole. "Five minutes you guys. I'll still be in the school during the time so it isn't too challenging for you both. The voodooist and the bitch versus the Ripper. Should be fun."

Stefan disappeared from the lunchroom and vanished to whatever part of the school he thought no one would look.

Which meant he left Damon and I were alone. Forced to work together.

Here we go again.

"Just like old times, right?" He resurfaced beside me as I ran out of the cafeteria and into the pitch black halls of Mystic High. I guess he knew I couldn't see squat because he tossed me onto his back and continued wading in the darkness with ease. "You and me left to fix everyone's problems."

He took the words right out of my mouth.

Except right now, I didn't want to be on his side. If Stefan wasn't planning on massacring the town, I wouldn't have had had to speak to Damon. I wouldn't have had to feel how well toned he was beneath his stupid leather jacket. And I wouldn't have had to be reminded just how much I loved whatever cologne he used.

If we spoke, I'd end up forgiving him for what he did to me, and I was _not_ doing that!

"We should split up and look for him," I whispered into his ear so Stefan wouldn't hear us coming. "We can cover more ground that way."

"Absolutely fucking not," he tried to whisper too, but sourness elevated his voice. "That's exactly what he wants. Because when we aren't together, he's going to sniff you out and whisk you off to where I can't find you."

"Exactly. And everyone in the town is spared." Because I had no doubt in my mind that Stefan was going to have a bloodbath if we didn't do as he instructed. He didn't have a snowball's chance of making it outside of the school though. I'd already secured that unbeknownst to either brother.

But I wasn't going to tell Damon that. Shhh, t'was a secret.

"No."

"Stefan's not going to hurt me, Damon. I can handle him."

"I know he's not going to hurt you. It's everything else he's going to do that I don't want. And I saw how you handled him and I don't like it. I've made up my mind."

"So you're risking the lives of everyone in town just to stop Stefan and I from being together. Are you really that-"

"Selfish? Do you know who you're talking to right now? Of course I'm that selfish."

"What about Elena?" I asked. "You heard your brother, he's going to kill her. If you just let me go you can make sure she's safe."

Yes, I was openly using Elena's well being as a gauge for where Damon and I stood. But it was only because I knew she wasn't going to be harmed and I was curious to what his decision was gonna be. I was going to dangle both her safety and mine in front of his face to see who he would choose. He could either allow me find Stefan on my own and let whatever happen between us happen, or he could refuse risk Elena's life in the process. Who was more important to him?

I was setting myself up for failure, I knew I was, but I needed confirmation to make sure cutting Damon from my life was the right choice.

But his answer wasn't what I expected. In a typical Damon Salvatore fashion, he astonished me and left me rethinking everything.

"Elena's a vampire, she'll handle herself," he said, sending me into a world of confusion. "I'm not letting you out of my sight for a second."

For the first time in any situation we'd been in, Damon picked me over Elena. And it knocked the wind right out of me. Maybe he _was_ really sorry, maybe what he did was an honest mistake and he felt horribly about it. Because in what world was my safety ranked above the doppelgangers?

I was putting an end to all of this.

"Stop," I ordered and he actually did it. "You don't have to look for Stefan."

He laughed. "I know."

"What are you talking about?"

Peering over his shoulder, I saw exactly what would make him say that. My plan had worked out just the way I wanted it to, more or less. Stefan fed from me, ingested the my blood that didn't contain vervain but had a spell linked to it that made it vampire NyQuil, and collapsed onto the floor in a deep slumber, not killing anyone.

"You set all of this up didn't you?" Damon caught on quickly.

"Yup."

"What next?"

Sliding from his back, I walked over to an unconscious, snoring Stefan. I felt badly for tricking the poor guy, but it was all for his own good. I told him I was going help him and he was too in his own world to believe me.

Now it was time for phase two.

"Detox."

**C . B . D**

**Lea set Stefan up all along? **

**Yup, to save him from himself.**

**Don't get it twisted though, she still wanted to be bitten is upset at herself for not hating it like how she should've.**

**I apologize for my rant and to those I may have offended. I like Loki. I do. All I'm saying is...**

**MTV could do a best villain award next year where the nominees were**

**Hannibal Lecter**

**Darth Vader**

**The Volturi **

**Pazuzu**

**Scar**

**In MTV world the Volturi would win every single time, because that world is a horrible place. **

**Remember when I said that I didn't want it to be a DC vs Marvel thing? **

**I lied. **

**Question: Loki vs Bane vs Calvin Candie. Who you diggin? **

**Despite my impassioned speech, I'll be fine if you say Loki, because I get his appeal.**

**Next Chapter: I'm not sure. I had the next chapter written before, but then it got wiped out and now I'm questioning where the story is headed. So... we'll see. **


	24. How Many Love Triangles Are There?

**A reviewer left a comment stating how they decided to stop reading my story due to the lack of updating. Since they were anonymous and I couldn't pm them, I'm going to address it here. **

**I try to update at least once a week, which surely doesn't happen all the time. But if if not once a week then for sure every two weeks. And recently I've done three chapters in a week. With school and now the job I've gotten, I can't update any more frequently than I have been because I'm so busy and I may not be able to update as it seems about twice a month. You'll most likely see a decline in updates. I work six days out of the week during the night and in the morning I have classes. I also have my other VD fic that I've been neglecting and I'm only three chapters away from finishing, then I have my Klaus/Hybrid OC story to map out and theeeen I'm contemplating writing Bamon. Bay-Bay, I'm swamped. I apologize if it's not as quickly as everyone would like to receive updates and it's completely understandable to not want to read this if you feel as if the wait isn't worth the results.**

**Annnnnnd the new story cover was created by Symphony Diva. It cut it all the way the hell off so if you want to see it in full then go to my profile page! **

**ANNNNNNNNNNNND while you're on my profile, read Night of the Hunter! It's Elena/OC! Give it a chance. **

**Chapter 24 – How Many Love Triangles Are There?**

Damon stomped around the living room of the Salvatore Boardinghouse, a glass of bourbon in one hand, his other forming a clenched fist. There'd been many occasions where the thought of killing Lea crossed his mind, but none was as passionate as this one. He could've snapped her neck all while drinking down his favorite beverage and wouldn't have lost a wink of sleep. Okay, maybe he would've missed her down the road, but what did he care? She fucking deserved it for all she put him through.

Where was that manipulator at. She wasn't done locking Stefan up inside the old cellar? And no, he wasn't going to help her with her plan. She'd set it up on her own, she could follow through with it on her own too. This was all her doing and he wasn't going to rescue someone who refused to acknowledge their shit.

Throwing the empty glass over his shoulder, Damon opted to down his lividity straight from the bottle. Not only was he going to get drunk, he was going to take his anger out on that pain in the ass voodooist that was permanently engrained under his skin. He wasn't the only villain here.

Footsteps heavy and lumbering, Damon followed Lea's scent to find her whereabouts. The thick sugared aroma of her blood was almost tangible thanks to her escapade with Stefan. That was another thing he was going to unsympathetically insult her about. She just gave herself over to Stefan like a slut. Damon expected more from her.

"Is it my turn to drink from-"

Immediately upon stepping foot into the kitchen, Damon's desire to tear Lea to pieces until she was just a hollow shell of herself withered away. He couldn't finish his sentence, not even if he wanted to. His tongue was too tied and his mind was too baffled at the sight to formulate anything coherent. Leaning against the kitchen island, a lengthy sigh escaped the vampire as he tried to deduce the best way to remedy the situation he meandered into.

Lea sat motionless on the floor, her body clinging to the wall behind her like a crutch. Her knees were bundled against her chest whilst her hands cradled them like a tuckered out child. She buried her head into her body, preventing all eyes from witnessing her breakdown.

Damon could only stare and let the ache in his chest infect the rest of his body. She was tugging at his heartstrings like she played the harp professionally. He hated seeing her like this. True, it was very seldom where he saw her giving into the pressure of everything, but when he did, he always wound up hurting just as much as she did.

"Let's get it over with," she whimpered, voice pleading and weak. "You can yell and scream and curse me out all you want because I deserve it. I won't even try to argue you because everything you say will be the truth."

She couldn't even let him have his moment to get her back could she? Now he couldn't treat her like shit even if he wanted to. He wasn't going to kick her while she was already down for the count.

Somehow, perhaps God made it possible, Damon sat his whiskey on the counter beside him. Normally a situation like this called for a drink, and while the two both loved to repress their emotions, he knew that this wasn't one of the times to do it. They needed to try something that they didn't really do much. Talk it out.

"I'm not going to-"

"I thought I was doing everything for the right cause, you know?" Lea glanced up at him and Damon caught sight of her puffy, bloodshot eyes that were rimmed red like a solar eclipse. He prayed that she was just suffering from sleep deprivation. "The spell on Elena, not telling Stefan, letting him do what he did. I thought it was all to better the situation, but I just made it worse. I'm a horrible friend and an even worse person. And the shit I've put you through. God, you must want to murder me."

How could he want to now? After seeing her like this? Maybe Damon neglected to see just how much she had to have been going through along with the rest of them. He and Elena weren't the only ones having to live a lie.

"You're not a bad persont," he said, sliding down the wall to join his friend on the floor. He wrapped an arm around her, drawing her in so close to his body, he could taste her blood bloom on his tongue. "You do what you do out of love for everyone. You risk making yourself out to be the bad guy all for the sake of helping everyone else. That makes you a great friend."

"Good friends don't do what I did to Elena." Resting her head on his chest, Lea adjusted herself so she fit perfectly within his arms. This was a foreign concept for the both of them. Damon had tried time and time again to show affection to her, but it was never reciprocated. But he was too busy loving the closeness of her to question it. "Good friends don't do what I did to you."

He'd done worst to her and she constantly forgave him. It wouldn't kill him if he did the same. It would now all be water under the bridge.

"You were in a tough spot. I'm partially to blame for that. You know how I am. Secretive, charming, a bit of a dick. I tried to get you to go along with me and had you done it, it would've eaten at you. That was my fault. I'm sorry."

"Damon Salvatore apologizing?"

"I know, how unlike me." He smiled. "But I am sorry. More than you know."

If he hadn't taken their relationship for granted, if he hadn't put Elena above everything else in his life, none of this would've happened. Everyone was so busy trying to play savior and martyr that Damon's selfishness spiraled everything out of control. Had he just left town like he was supposed to, Stefan wouldn't have shut off his humanity, Elena would still have her loving boyfriend, and Lea wouldn't have been going through hell. They each wanted to place the guilt on themselves when none of them were the culpable ones.

"It's okay. We wouldn't be us without a little dysfunction."

"Ain't that the truth."

Damon wouldn't have changed a thing. He would never admit it to her, but the little weasel was a part of his life now. And he knew she would go to the grave before giving him the satisfaction of hearing her say it, but she needed him to.

He could've puked at the thought.

He needed her.

The woman he was holding in his arms, where he could feel the rise and fall of her soft breathing. Who he wanted to kill one minute and kiss in the other. Who he never even got to second base with. He needed her. More than any bourbon, Mystic Falls, Katherine, and maybe even Elena.

"Making up for lost time?"

Speak of the fucking devil.

Damon snapped his head to the archway where the kitchen met the dining room, a low swear tumbling from his lips as he caught sight of Elena. Lea scooted away from him like he had a disease, standing and dusting off any Damon cooties that may have attached to her clothing. He lifted himself up, not saying a word as the two women had a vicious stare down.

"Wait, I forgot, you both were having a ball while I was having the worst two weeks of my life," Elena sneered, spitting her words like venom.

Before Damon even had a chance to respond to his anger, Lea had already put them back at bay.

"It was the spell," she said. "It went out of control."

Did any of her spells go out normally?

"So you didn't mean to torture me?" Elena was still visibly upset. The bunched shoulders, the snappy tone, the protruding hip. And Lea, who while may have been apologetic wasn't going to back down by what Damon could see. Her dull disposition as if everything about Elena bored her was a sign.

Damon took a seat at the island to watch the show. Had he been a stand up guy or maybe even Stefan, he probably would've tried to break things up. But this was entertaining. He was sick of being the one fighting over the girl, it was about time they fought for him.

"Elena, I said I was sorry about that." Lea waved her hand at the vampire, openly dismissing her actions. "And you keep picking the worst of times to actually sit down and talk about it. You have bigger issues to deal with than little ol' me."

"Yeah, like now that Stefan doesn't want you what your next move will be," Damon quipped, popping a grape that was in a basket of fruits into his mouth.

Elena's eyebrows moved like a tentacle as she turned to Damon dazed and confused. "What?"

"Stefan doesn't want you anymore," he said casually as if he were talking about current events. "He wants-"

Using his index finger, he wormed it at the voodooist giving him hate-infused look.

What he didn't expect was for Elena to start laughing. She covered her mouth as the light giggles cascaded out.

"You don't think I'm good enough for Stefan?"

"I don't think he's good enough for you." Damon answered Lea's question.

"And you are?" she said, voice raised so high it could've made a glass explode.

Damon cracked a smile, shrugging his shoulders as he ate another grape. "Good point."

It was about time he got Lea to laugh at something he said. He tried too hard to make her smile. Elena ruined the moment though with her wanting to continue their bickering.

"There's nothing about you that Stefan could find remotely sexy."

"Wow," Lea said, taking a step back after Elena unloaded a bundle of rudeness onto her. "Such as."

Oh no, Damon knew that play. Lea was coaxing Elena into a battle of who could say the more hurtful things. He'd fallen into that trap many of times and it never ended well for either of them.

He couldn't get a word in, it was too late. Elena had started D-day.

"I get you and Damon. I mean you're both cut from the same cloth and all that hoopla. But what do you have to offer Stefan?"

"This pussy." Coughing, Lea tried to cover up her lewd statement, but Damon heard it and he wasn't too enthralled by her answer. She never talked about him like that, what did Stefan do that was so special to get her saying those kinds of things. Because if you say it, then you've thought of it.

"Hmm let's see." Elena glanced towards the ceiling in an obvious attempt to pretend as if she was thinking long and hard of her answer. "You're not pretty. You dress like you don't have lights or mirrors in your home. You're a bitch. You're vindictive. Mean-spirited. You don't contribute to the group because we have Bonnie. You're bitter because everyone likes your sister and hates you. And really, if you didn't have boobs I'd think you were a guy, I mean, I'm almost certain you're a lesbian. You don't have anything to offer anyone let alone Stefan." She counted off each insult on her fingers.

Even Damon had to cringe. He didn't think the vampire could be so callous. Elena, who was as harmless as a puppy when she was human, really had changed.

But he knew what was going to happen next. Lea liked to hit below the belt. She'd bring up whatever she wanted to just to get a reaction. To her it wasn't about who could say the meaner things, it was about who could get the results. Because whoever lost their cool first was the loser.

Damon could only hope that Lea didn't go too off the deep end. He wasn't going to stop it because it would only turn into him getting bashed.

"That doesn't stop him from wanting to fuck me." Her grin was unsettling. "Besides, if he doesn't want me, which he's made it apparent that he does, then you can't think he'd want you back. Because let's face it, let's drink some truth tea and come to terms with reality. You're a bland carbon copy of Katherine. You're an exact repeat of all the other doppelgangers before you. Except you're not as interesting and twice the cunt because you had to do it behind Damon and Stefan's back. And you don't even have the lady balls now to admit to Damon now that you don't even want him."

Damon couldn't even fully process her words before he had to intervene. Lea won. She didn't say anything truly hurtful, she didn't say anything nearly as bad as what Damon thought she would've, but she got exactly what she wanted from Elena. A response.

Elena lunged at her with a speed incomprehensible to human eyes. He grabbed her by the arms, yanking her away from the voodooist before a single blow could've been dealt.

Dragging Elena closer to him, he didn't want to hurt her but if she continued to struggle like a bear caught in a trap then he wouldn't have any other choice. Strange how the thought of the two fighting wasn't as sexy as what he once thought. If they did it was going to be to the death and he didn't want to lose either one of them.

"I'm not the one out to fuck up everyone's lives and you're holding me back?" Elena's tone sounding as if she hated him for not being on her side. "You're supposed to be helping me kill her and bury her body."

"You think I'm going to let you kill her? Do you know how stupid you sound? Never mind her being a voodooist who probably has spells on her that would make you kill yourself from all the agony, in what world would I ever let you hurt her?"

"Fuck that. You're not getting out of this, Elena. You're clearly trying to divert from the issue at hand and Damon you're too blindsided to see it." Grabbing her jacket, Lea pulled it onto her. She walked by the two, not flinching an inch when Elena tried lunging at her. "I'm going home, because you two need to talk. Elena, if you want to fight me tomorrow then you know where I stay. I'm not hiding."

"You think I'm scared of you? Get real."

"I'm glad you're not. It'll make it more fun for me." Laughing, Lea just rolled her eyes. "Damon, don't let her continue to play you. You're better than that. Make her make a choice and make her do it now. Everything is out in the open, she knows that Stefan doesn't want her and she knows that you do so the choice should be easy right? Good night... well, _morning _everyone."

Damon waited until he heard the backdoor shut before he let Elena go. She paced back and forth in the kitchen while he stood stagnant, processing the advice given to him. Lea was right, she was absolutely right. Elena could finally make a choice about who and what she wanted because there wasn't anything left to hide.

"Can you believe her?" Elena asked, stomping from one end of the room to the next. "I could just kill... she's just... ugh I hate her."

"Elena."

The raging bull stopped and took the seat Damon offered her. "Yes?"

This was it. Damon was going to ask her the question that'd been gossiped about behind his back for three years now. It was time for one chapter to close and another to begin.

Dread poking at his heart, he found the courage to just say it even though he feared what the answer would be.

"Who do you want?"

**C . B . D**

**Gawd, I'm tired. Got school and work in the morning. Hope you all liked this. **

**Question: Who do you think Elena is going to choose. Damon or Stefan. **

**You could answer that in regards to the story, or in regards to the show. It matters not.**

**Next Chapter: I don't have the slightest clue.**

**Thanks for reading.**


	25. How To Be A RipperBreaker

**I'm actually not going to rant for once. I fucking hate VD and I won't waste my breath or my word count on it. Julie Plec is a hack and I'll leave it at that. Fake ass writer. My clipped fingernail writes characters better than she does. **

**Chapter 25 – How To Be A RipperBreaker**

"Room service."

Opening the steel door that creaked so loudly I cringed, I slipped my body into the old cellar that sat beneath the Salvatore Boardinghouse. A small lightbulb dangled by a few corroding wires, casting a dim glow into the already eerie prison. Shivering from the draft that slithered into the room, I closed the door behind me and sealed myself in with a vampire whose mood would be up for determination.

"You know, it was always you who was chained and gagged in my imagination." Stefan's weakened voice groaned as I made my presence known. He sat helplessly in a metal chair welded to a floor that was in desperate need of sweeping. Shackles and cuffs bound his legs and arms to the chair in order to prevent him from escaping. Houdini himself wouldn't have been able to get out of the room. "But this works too."

Patting him on his head, my fingers trailing through the lush strands of his hair, I gave Stefan a grin so chastising, Gin Ichimaru would've been unsettled. "Still fantasizing about me are we, Oh Ripper One?"

Rule number one – taunt him.

"Guilty." Sweat gripped his skin, refusing to move even an inch. Fingernail marks clawed into the arms of the chair as if Stefan foolishly tried to pry himself out. I hated seeing him like this – caged like a rabid animal. "Have we been returning the favor?"

"Not at all."

"Liar, liar, pants on fire!" he said incredulously, a half cough half laugh following. "You wanted me before any of this happened and didn't do anything because I was with Elena. Now that I'm not-"

"I still won't be doing anything because you're out of your mind." I waved off the dust cascading in the room like snowflakes. "I don't have relationships with vampires who are CooCoo for Cocoa Puffs."

"And I don't have relationships with neurotic messes who are so insecure they can barely cope in public." Ouch, that was a good one. And by the grim smile on his face, I think Stefan knew he got me. "But alas, here I stand, well... sit, willingly and ready to fuck you hard whenever you ask."

This was gonna be a bit harder than what I expected. The monkey's fist knot in my stomach let me know that.

I removed my jacket because of how hot and stuffy it was in the room. I even ignored the other overtly sexual comments Stefan made as I took it off too. "You haven't eaten in three days, you must be hungry."

That's how long it'd been since I last saw Stefan. Three days ago. Damon too for that matter. I still needed to talk to him about what transpired between him and Elena after I left. Not that I was being nosy or anything, I just wanted to know what her decision was.

"And you're here to alleviate all of that? Back for round two, I see. And so soon."

"I only did that to trick you," I smacked my lips and it echoed a lot louder than what I thought it would've.

"I'm sure that was part of it, but it's undeniable that you wanted it." He wasn't buying into my words. Hell, there was part of me that doubted myself too. "I'd be able to tell if you were faking, sweetheart. Some things you just can't slip past a vampire. So tell me, as your first, how did I do in popping your cherry."

Ugh, I didn't have to explain myself to him or listen to his bullshit. Maybe I did want it, maybe there was a part of me that even loved the fact that Stefan wanted me in such a primal way, but he needed help and that was all I cared about. Not the stupid love squares, not my ego, the only thing I cared about was making sure Stefan came out of this with his humanity intact.

Reaching into my purse, I pulled out a blood bag for the starving vampire. "Here. Animal blood only."

Moving the only body part he could, Stefan jerked his head away as I tried to feed him."You think I'm going to eat that after having tasted you? I'd rather starve."

Prideful imbecile.

He didn't even know what I had to do to get this squirrel blood either!

"So that's a no to the animal blood." I tossed the blood to the floor. I'd be leaving it there after I left too. Just as something to endlessly taunt him and drive him to feel some kind of emotion. "Fine, I'll give you a vial of human blood."

"Under the pretenses that..."

Rule number two – bait him.

"You answer all my questions. Truthfully."

"Sounds dangerous. Fine. But I want a vial per question."

"Deal," I said quickly before he went and changed his wishy-washy mind. He didn't know what he just himself into. "What's your favorite sex position?"

"Let me out, bend over, and I'll show you."

"I was joking. Sheesh."

"You asked."

Filthy Stefan. When he was back to his normal self I was gonna fuck with him about this.

Placing my hands onto his clammy ones, I centered myself. Every feeling, sensation, and thought that belonged to me perished as I channeled as much of Stefan's energy as I could. I wanted to feel everything he felt. I wanted to get inside his cloudy head and poke around in there. That way I could know if he were lying or not. This type of thing required consent and had he refused, none of this would've been possible.

"Were you really going to kill all those people if Damon and I didn't find you in the school?"

"Yes," he said without any hesitation.

He wasn't lying. That night he was hoping we didn't find him so he could kill everyone. Matt, Tyler, Bonnie, Elena, everyone. He'd cooled off since then though. Starvation made him want something to drink and he didn't care who it was.

"Do you think Damon likes Elena?"

"No."

Lie. He knew that Damon loved her.

"Do you think Damon likes me?"

"No."

Lie. He thought that Damon loved me too. Whatever.

"Do _you _like me?"

"Yes."

"Enough to be in a relationship with me?"

"Yes."

"More than Elena?"

"Yes."

I tried not to let my emotions sweep over me as Stefan told nothing but the truth, I had to keep a clear mind, but how was I supposed to react to finally being wanted wholeheartedly? There was no more Elena as far as Stefan was concerned and he was over her and he had been for a long ass time. Not only that, but he'd been putting his feelings over me at bay for just as long. He wasn't feeding me bullshit when he told me he was moving on.

I ripped away all the wings of the butterflies in my stomach and continued on. I didn't want to, but it was for his own good.

"How did Elena cheating on you make you feel?"

Stefan tried to snatch himself from me even though we both knew he wasn't going anywhere. Heat spiked in his temperature and I could barely see his eyes and the turned to slits. "I'm not answering that."

He was angry. Good. At least I was getting something.

"We made a deal."

"I thought these were yes or no questions," he said, deliberately trying to escape a question that he dreaded answering. Him answering meant opening himself up. Opening himself up meant turning his humanity back on.

And his desperation for blood was ultimately going to make him do it whether he wanted to or not.

"Fine. Did Elena's betrayal hurt you?"

"Yes."

"Badly?"

"What the fuck do you want from me? Of course it hurt me badly."

"Enough to make you turn your humanity off?"

"Enough to make me wish I'd just let her drown three years ago."

His chest heaved and caved from his panting. His bit down on his lips to prevent anymore confessions from tumbling out. The look in his eyes was no longer that cold and apathetic glaze he held onto as of lately. No, his sage eyes were singed with fear, hurt, and an unfathomable amount of remorse. He hated what he was putting himself through, but couldn't bear facing everything that'd happened to him.

"Is there a part of you that wants your humanity back on?"

"I'm done, I want my blood." Trying to get ahold of himself, Stefan pretended as if he were still the same man I'd first talked to.

"Answer the question and you'll get them," I promised.

"Yes, there is a part of me that wants to turn my humanity back on."

"But you don't want to because that means confronting everything." Removing my hands from his, they found a new place against his cheeks. I'd found out all I needed to know, there wasn't a reason for me to continue to infiltrate his mind. "Listen to me, don't let what Elena did dictate who you are. You're fine and we'll get through this together. I promise.

"Whatever you say, Dr. Phil," he sighed and I hoped my words resonated. "Can I have my blood now?"

If he didn't want to listen to me then, then he'd surely listen now.

"No."

Rule number three – Break him.

"No?"

"I'm not giving you shit. You're going to rot in here until you man up."

That was the plan anyway. Why would he be so stupid to think I'd give him human blood? Hello, he had an addiction to it? I already had to do it once, it wasn't going to happen again.

Again, he tried breaking free of his shackles. Only this time it was out of extreme rage. He wanted to fuck me up right about now. From the growling, to his protruding fangs, Ripper Stefan was maaaaaad.

Which would turn into angst when he was all alone and had nothing to do but reflect on everything.

And angst led to confronting your demons.

"I am going to drink from your slut of a sister as you watch. You think you can save someone? You can't even save your fucking family. You're a worthless-"

"Awww, look at all those feels," I cooed like he was a cute newborn. "Did I wupset the wipper?"

More insults and swears poured out of his mouth and I loved every single one of them. He was going to get better and I'd say he'd be getting better soon.

I left Stefan screaming after me, begging me to stay and give him something to eat.

Hmm... I wonder what was going to happen between the two of us after his humanity was back on?

For once things were looking up.

**C . B . D **

**A very meh chapter to me. Didn't like how I described Lea being able to feel what Stefan felt, but I'm not going to be able to edit or write for a little bit and I don't want to take too long to update. **

**I like Stefan when he's roaming free and being malevolent, I don't know how things are gonna go when and if he turns his humanity back on. **

**Question: Should Stefan turn his humanity back on? **

**Next Chapter: I don't know. Y'all can tell me what y'all want if you wanna. **


	26. When Did We Become Enemies?

**I guess this was coming. Not sure anymore.**

**Chapter 26 – When Did We Become Enemies?**

Elena Gilbert wasn't having the greatest of days. She was avoiding Damon, Stefan was avoiding her, and she felt completely and tragically alone. No one was by her side to help her get through the shit piling up in her life. What little friends she did had were either the cause of her problems or had their own to deal with.

And Elena's day only got worse when Lea James decided it would be appropriate to come over her house.

"You've got some nerve coming over, Aaliyah." Elena overheard Jeremy answer the door. Once he found out about what Lea put her through, it didn't take much thought for Jer to pick sides. "Get out of here."

"We're not cool anymore?" Elena could've punched a hole the size of canyons into a wall just hearing Lea's voice. How dare she try to come into her home uninvited and unwanted. "Come on, Jeremy-"

"Don't _come on Jeremy_ me. You put a spell on my sister and you think we're gonna be friends?

"Damon and Stefan killed Vicki and you're chums with them."

That bitch. Who said stuff like that?

The door slammed so hard Elena was sure it was nothing more than splinters now as Jeremy shut it in Lea's face. Good. She was so tired of everyone taking that girl's crap. It was about time she got what she deserved.

And Elena was going to pay her back. Right now.

Speeding downstairs and out the backdoor, Elena made sure to catch Lea just before she got into her beaten down Honda. She was glad Lea came over, especially with no Damon or Stefan to get in the way of things. Now they could handle their problems without interruptions.

"Coming over to a vampire's house and picking a fight is arrogant even for you," Elena said, walking off her porch to lessen the distance between them. She wanted to be within arms reach of her. Really, neck reach since she wanted to snap her head off. "It's also really stupid."

"Who said I'm picking a fight?" Lea scratched the side of her head. "I'm here to return your shit."

Reaching into her backseat, Lea pulled out a medium sized cardboard box. She sat it on the car's hood and rummaged through its contents. "Books, CDs, your notebook filled with short stories, you can have it all back and I'd like everything of mine returned as well since we've broken up."

Elena didn't find her joke amusing. She felt nothing at all but a blinding fury when in the voodooist's presence. She was lucky she wasn't dead yet and that Elena was giving her a chance to speak.

"Seriously." Violently shrugging before slapping her arms back to her sides, Lea sighed. "I'm trying to make amends here and you're totally giving me the Fuck Off Face. I don't want to fight with you anymore."

Hmm, maybe Elena was wrong. What Lea just said to her _was _funny. She didn't want to fight anymore? They were just getting started.

"I'm sure you wouldn't."

"Elaborate on that please."

"You've already done your fighting." Moving even closer to that backstabbing bitch, Elena shut the car door separating them so hard the glass window shattered. "You already put a spell on me and did your dirty work, but now it's my turn."

Lea didn't even pay attention to her. She was much too busy staring at her tattered car, mouth agape, ready to catch snowflakes.

Pointing her finger to her busted window, Lea clutched her heart. "Oh god, I'm having the big one. I'm coming to visit you, Elizabeth. I hope you fucking plan on paying for that shit, Elena."

If Lea wasn't going to listen to her verbal warnings, maybe she'd pay attention to the physical ones.

Elena gripped her neck, sinking her nails into her flesh like an eagle's talons does a mouse. She smashed her against the Honda without remorse. A soft smile played against her lips as she watched Lea clammer for freedom. While one hand fought to pry away the vampire's vice grip, the other tried reaching out towards her face so she could attempt to get a hit in.

"Really, this is all you've got?" Elena was tickled by the sight of Lea's face contorting into fear as she fought for air. Someone who talked so big couldn't even deal a blow. "Just how pathetic are you?"

Thrashing and doing anything she could, Lea tried with all her might to escape. Elena thought that maybe she'd have a few tricks up her sleeve, use some of her voodoo rituals, anything to make this fight a bit more fair. But she came to a gun fight with a stick. Elena easily overpowered her.

The life drained from Lea's eyes and her muscles relaxed. All the struggling for a way out vanished and her arms dangled at their sides. Elena guessed she was suppose to feel remorse - she _did_ after all kill her former friend and took delight in all the agony she put her through during her final minutes. But she literally felt no guilt over it. In fact, a weight was lifted off her shoulders. She didn't have to worry about Lea planting evil seeds into the minds of Damon and Stefan, and she didn't have to deal with anymore of Lea's shit. Elena was free.

Now... what was she supposed to do with the body?

"Damn girl, I didn't know you hated me that much."

Blood running cold, Elena tilted her head to the direction of the voice that she thought she'd never have to hear again. She blinked her eyes at the sight, thinking that maybe this was just one last terrible hallucination. Maybe this was the spell Damon was talking about if she were to kill Lea – that she'd follow her around like a shadow for the rest of her days.

No, she couldn't be alive.

"How did you-"

"How am I still breathing?" Lea inhaled deeply, taunting Elena as she just tried to suffocate her. "I Loki'd the fuck outta you, bruh."

She didn't get the reference. Instead she looked back to where the fight had happened for confirmation. No traces of their altercation took place. Sure, Lea's window was still busted, but her dead carcass was nowhere to be found. The hand dragging the life out of her was now just an empty, clenched fist. The dent in the car from where Elena slammed her was nothing but smooth, blue metal.

"Soooo, you want to fight huh?" Digging through her purse, Lea didn't even keep a steady gaze on Elena who could've tried to attack her again. Not that Elena would've – astonishment had rendered her motionless. "You know, I always thought I was gonna use this on Damon. In fact, I was actually. I had a lock of his hair and everything. Can you believe the asshole and I are on good terms now? So that means I have to be nice to him, but I really want to try this out, and who's a better guinea pig than you?"

With the flair of a magician pulling a rabbit out of his hat, Lea revealed what she'd been searching for in her bag. Face scrunching at what she saw, Elena tried to interpret what the ugly object was. It looked like one of those sackboys you played with on _Little Big Planet. _It had unkempt brown hair, sullen grey skin, and buttons that looked chewed on for eyes. Why was Lea carrying around some ugly doll in her purse?

Wait...

That couldn't have been a voodoo doll of her.

As the realization dawned on her, it'd been too late. Pain rolled over Elena's spine like thunder. She dropped to her knees, unable to continue standing as the feel of someone breaking each of her vertebrate crippled her. Her screams echoed in the night air while her nails ripped into earth.

She tried crawling away to go search for help, but Lea wouldn't allow. Anytime she attempted to move, Lea would stab a different place on the doll – its legs, fingers, skull and they would accordingly torture Elena endlessly. It wasn't until she felt a sinking feeling pierce her heart that she stopped moving all together. The needle never sunk in deep enough to where Elena could fully scream in agony over her heart being ripped into, but it was just enough to tease at the thought. Almost like Lea was toying with the fact that she could kill Elena with relative ease if she wanted.

"Wow, this isn't what I expected at all," Lea said, yanking all the needles out of the doll. Elena spilled fully to the ground, the freezing snow burning her skin. "I thought I wanted to fight you, for the longest I thought I did, but this is just sad. I'm done here."

Elena rolled onto her back, peering into the endless black sea that made up the sky. Lea's face overtook the stars and the thick clouds as she peered over her. Closing her eyes, Elena couldn't take staring into the voodooist's forlorn gaze. How could she have been the hurt one? Did Elena stick a knife into her back? Did Elena pretend for years to have liked her only to make her feel like the biggest idiot in the end?

That's why she was so upset. It wasn't because Damon and potentially Stefan liked her – Elena didn't care at all about that – it was that Elena genuinely valued Lea as a friend and was naïve enough to believe it was returned. Elena was willing to die for her and she thought nothing of it. Elena thought they had one of those friendships that lasted a lifetime, but she didn't think the same. Elena was disposable to her.

"I know this means shit to you and I know we will never be friends after this, but I _am_ really sorry about everything."

Elena wasn't going to cry. Fuck tears. She was a vampire now, she could shrug away her emotions if she wanted to.

"Then why'd you do it?" she groaned. "And don't tell me you don't know. I thought we were friends."

"Damon didn't want me to tell and I thought Stefan needed to know."

Bullshit. "Fine. Whatever. I get that. But what motivated you to put a spell on me and fuck up our friendship in the process? Because I wanted to tell Stefan and I was going to."

All grew quiet as Elena waited to hear an answer.

She didn't get anything valid as Lea did what she always did when put on the spot and concealed how she really thought.

"I don't know."

"Go away. Fuck off, Lea."

"Maybe I'm jealous," she admitted, voice low and barely audible. "You're the girl who has everything revolving around her. The sun doesn't shine until you get out of bed. I mean really, I'm your shadow. I'm your lesser than and never your equal. Ever since I became friends with you it's been that way. You're life is valued more than mine because you're so perfect. And for once, I wanted to see Pretty Polly fuck up."

Elena had to open her eyes at that revelation. She never knew Lea felt that way. They were always so busy trying to stop the big bad or were getting involved in convoluted relationships that Elena neglected to ask Lea how she was holding up. Maybe she'd been selfish and maybe she wasn't as good as a friend as what she should've been.

"Then I'm sure you're happy. You got what you wanted."

"No." Closing her eyes, Lea shook her head. "No, I didn't."

She may have been remorseful, but the damage was already done.

Pulling herself to her feet, not giving Lea the satisfaction to hear to moan in pain, Elena didn't have it in her to start another fight. She honestly didn't want to. Sympathy was one of her strong suits, and while she understood the strife Lea may have been under and her motivations, that didn't mean she was going to be forgiven.

"You were only half right."

Lea's eyebrow raised. "About what?"

"You were wrong when you said all of this would mean shit to me. I'm grateful you told me how you felt and I accept your apology," Elena said. "But you were right when you said we would never be friends after this."

"That's fair." Lea solemnly nodded. She fished for her keys, heading back over to her car and knocked the box of Elena's loaned objects to the ground before she got in. "Good night."

So they were back to doing childish things now?

Fine, then Elena was going to offer her some friendly advice.

Feigning a smile, Elena waved Lea goodbye.

"You may want to put a plastic bag inside that window until you can get some money to fix it."

Lea laughed, backing out of the driveway. She hadn't made it fully into the street yet before she was sticking her head out of the glassless mirror, giving Elena some unsolicited advice as well.

Except what she said was bit more treacherous. No amount of voodoo could've pained her as much as the thoughts Lea left her with after her final comment of the night.

"Don't break Damon's heart too badly when you choose Stefan."

**C . B . D**

**Do you guys know who I ship? Who my new OTP for the Vampire Diaries is?**

**Stilas.**

**Stefan and Silas.**

**And if you don't know about them, please go onto tumblr and search for them.**

**Changed my life.**

**I swear, sometimes VD fans are amazing. Y'all be trolling.**

**Question: If you had to pair your favorite character from VD with someone from a different show, who would it be?**

**I'm a Bonnie/Dean fan. Oomph.**

**Next Chapter: Something with Damon. Not sure yet. Most likely Lemon.**


	27. You've Gotta Be Fucking Kidding Me

**You know, I know the season of VD is over with, but for the first actual time it dawned on me. **

**What if Lea was on the show? **

**Like for real, what if this was written to follow the show instead of me doing my own thangalang? **

**She would've worked with Kol to stop them from finding the cure. **

**And if he still died she would've been riding solo to grab ahold of the cure so she could destroy that mofo. **

**She and Elena would constantly fight and try to kill each other if Elena turned her humanity off. **

**She'd hate Damon for making her turn it off and then want to change his mind about it. **

**Katherine would have someone to deal with for killing Jeremy and awakening Silas.**

**Don't get me started on Bonnie dying.**

**And once she found out that Delena was gonna happen...**

**She and Stefan would've spent the Summer together a la Mabekah. **

**I wrote all of that to simply ask you all one thing**

**Why dere be noo such theeng as White Chocolate Milk? **

**Chapter 25 – You've Gotta Be Fucking Kidding Me**

I don't care how old you are - you could be a first grader or a senior like myself – there's no better feeling than randomly getting pulled out of school by your parents. Having the teacher stop their lesson just to answer a phone and tell you that you're the chosen one, that you get to leave early even though you only have three classes, there's nothing like it. It's probably the closest comparison to what you experience when your soul ascends to heaven.

Skipping out of the god forsaken high school, my cheery disposition only intensified as I was greeted not by my parents, but Damon Salvatore. He leaned against his smoke-on-the-water blue car, his wintery eyes tinged with delight.

"Well look who decided to show up after their three day vacation." I had to play this one like a G. The smile I wanted to give had to be contained like a quarantined virus. I shoved my hands in my pockets to prevent myself from throwing them around him and giving him the hug of a lifetime.

Opening his car door for me, Damon ushered me inside. I slipped into the warm and cozy interior, a pleasant sigh escaping me. He kept the car running just for me. Sometimes he could be a thoughtful man.

"Miss me?" He grinned, pulling out of the parking lot. My vision of the school slowly dwindled as desolate streets leading to our current destination took over.

I shifted in my seat, not quite sure of what my answer should've been. I could've lied to him, I could've given a sarcastic reply, but none of those sat well with me strangely. I didn't feel like covering up how I felt.

Shrugging my shoulders, I said my answer indifferently in an attempt to conceal how weary I was over my little confession. "I guess so."

I pretended to ignore him side-eyeing me as if he were taken aback. That just made me all the more uncomfortable.

"Really?" he asked.

"Yeah. I missed you." God, I hope my bored tone covered up just how happy I actually was to see him. It'd been three days. And they were the loneliest days ever. Sure, I had dealing with Stefan and Elena to keep me company, but I was in dire need of a friend. Or to do something fun with someone for a change. Damon usually was the one who saved the day on those accounts.

"Good," he said. "I missed you too."

Fuck yeah.

"Why'd you leave?"

He just vanished. Didn't say goodbye, didn't say anything. That wasn't his style. He usually made a big dramatic deal about things before he made an exit. Him just leaving without saying goodbye kind of upset me.

"I needed Damon time."

"That's a gay answer and you know it." I needed fucking Lea time, but you didn't see me skipping out on the people who needed me. Not that I needed him, because I didn't. "You didn't even say goodbye to me."

"Aww, you really did miss me." He ruffled my hair before I smacked his hands away. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything to you before."

Crossing my arms over each other, I huffed and I puffed and I could've blown an entire house down if I wanted to. "You just better fucking be. I went through a lot of shit while you were gone."

He didn't even know the half of it.

"Well I'm here now. You can tell me everything you dealt with, ramble on for hours if you have to, I'll listen to every word."

**. . . **

"Elena killed you?" Damon grunted, swishing around his bottle of whiskey like the drunk that he was. Jack Sparrow couldn't have swayed better than the intoxicated vampire in front of me.

Stealing away the bottle from him, ignoring the childish pout his gave at my actions, I stole me a swig of his drink. He was hogging it all for himself. "You sound surprised."

"Because I am." He snatched his drink back before I had the chance to properly taste it. "And if you want me to talk to her about this then I will."

"What are you my dad?" Not to say that the thought of Damon wanting to come to my rescue wasn't extremely flattering. It only took years of patience to get him to come to his senses. "Besides, I was a bitch to her and kind of deserved it. Not that I'm defending her. Lord forbid that."

"But this is Elena we're talking about. Since when did she kill her best friend?"

"Ex. We broke up." Unsatisfied with the lack of Jack Daniels keeping me company, I headed over to the table filled with various boozes for my choosing. The one thing about the Salvatore Boardinghouse, it was always stocked with the good stuff. "And I don't know, I kind of think that a certain blue eyed, black haired vampire may have rubbed off on her."

"Ah, ah, ah," he sang, prying the bottle of tequila I choose from my hands. "That was twenty-five grand. I haven't even had any of it."

"What the fuck are you waiting for, the Apocalypse? Sam and Dean already took care of that. Let's drink this shit asap." Continuing our game of thief, I stole back what was rightfully mine and proceeded to open the bottle without a care in the world.

"What's a good adult supposed to do right now?" Damon asked as I took a swig of the expensive alcohol. "Oh yeah! Wait, no, don't, you're underage. Bad Aaliyah! Bad!"

My throat was doused in flames sent in first class from the depths of hell. Tears welled in my eyes like rivers and streamed down my face as my fist pounded against my chest, forcing out coughs as the residual effects of the drink overtook me. Holy shit, I was dying. And it was the best death I'd ever experienced.

"Goddamn," I gasped, voice short and breathy. "That's good shit."

"I know."

"I'd scorn you right now for spending so much money on tequila and call you out as a drunk if this wasn't so fantastic."

"I know."

"I'm going to totally steal this from you."

"I know."

"What don't you know?"

"I don't know."

I wasn't supposed to laugh at something so corny and I obviously saw it coming, but it was just the funniest thing I'd ever heard at the time. Damn it all to hell, it was hilarious. The straight face he said it with, the delivery, it all had me gasping for air as I was crippled with a raging case of the giggleshits.

"Dance with me," Damon said, ignoring my laughter and how it stopped abruptly once he gave his weird request. "I like this song."

Tuning into the 80s music slipping into the room, overflowing into the house, I shook my head and turned him down. "How the hell do you even dance to this shit? And who likes 80s music? That generation blew Diddy Kong balls."

"We've been drunk together plenty of times and I'm still unsure whether you're a happy or angry drunk." He grabbed me by my arms, pulling me to him as if I didn't have a choice in whether I wanted to dance with him or not. "And when did you become such a stiff? Aren't you the same girl I took to the 50s dance?"

"Exactly. That's why I don't want to relive that experience anymore. You're not a good dancer, Damon."

Damon must've taken my words as a challenge. He didn't give a retort, he didn't say anything at all. He let his actions do the talking. We swayed and rocked to the slow tempo of the music whispering from hidden speakers. He nestled his fingers around my waist, trapping me beneath the pads of his fingertips. His hips were grinding into my own, matching the lazy, tantric beat of the music. I could feel my heart begin to match the bass of the song as my own fingers reached out to meet Damon's skin. One hand rested against his back and I could feel the curve of his spine through the cotton of his black shirt, as the other became irretrievably lost amongst black-as-sin tresses that I was aching to pull.

"Still think I'm a bad dancer?"

His taunt snapped me out of whatever trance his movements put me in like a stretched rubber band and before I knew it I was pulling away from him. Only Damon wouldn't allow me to move away from him. He pulled me even closer to him than we previously were – my body fitting into his as naturally as dawn does a twilit sky.

"Be still, be calm, be quiet now my precious girl." I trembled against the feel of Damon's lips grazing my own, threatening to kiss me but never deepening it. I drank in his sighs while he breathed the words of the song into me. "Don't struggle like that or I will only love you more."

I didn't want to put up a fight, I didn't want to try and escape him. Everything inside of me burned to let go of my fears and doubts and give into him. To let whatever happened happen. I wanted Damon – I always had. In more than just a sexual relationship. If I wanted to be with him sexually I could've done that ages ago, there'd been plenty of opportunities to do so. But he'd been the only man I'd ever met who'd actually got me. He understood me wholly inside and out and still stuck around even after knowing all my faults. And I wanted to so desperately be the girl who put him first. Who he didn't have to continuously change himself for just for the sake of having me. Who he could undoubtedly feel trustful of. Who he didn't have to worry about his brother stealing away.

But with everything that'd been happening recently, I was starting to second guess if I was that girl.

"Stop," I cried, turning my head so that his lips fell against my cheek. "We can't do this."

"You have no idea how badly I want to."

"Stefan is rotting right beneath us and you want to have sex with me?"

"Stefan could be frying in the Sun and if you wanted to have sex with me then I'd meet him in hell." Damon's frown couldn't be contained when I scooted away from him. Hell, even I wanted to frown. "Besides, he isn't in the cellar anymore. You let him out."

"What?"

"Please tell me you let him out."

Panic and dread quickly dousing anything else I may have felt, I sprinted to where Stefan should've been, Damon not too far behind me. I ran down a flight of rickety crickety stairs, pushed through cobwebs and debris, and payed no never mind to the huge spiders lurking in the damp corners of the hallway that led to the creepy cell. But as I approached the area where he should've been held captive, sweating out the remnants of his disease, I could've cried at the sight.

The once bolted down and locked door was wide open, and in the chair Stefan once sat helplessly in now was empty and abandoned.

Someone helped Stefan escape. The only way of leaving was from the outside.

And I had just the feeling of who did it.

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me."

**C . B . D**

**For those who don't know, the song is Lullaby by the Cure that they were dancing to. **

**There's a ripper on the loose y'all. Wonder who set him free.**

**Question: Who's your least favorite character on the show? Main character. No side characters. Because we all know that Jamie and April are the pits. **

**Y'all know that Caroline and Elena are my least favorite. And it's sad because Caroline used to be my favorite character. Now she's only bearable when she's with Stefan. **

**Next Chapter: Elena and Stefan. Because a guest reviewer requested Ripper Stefan and Elena and I couldn't believe I didn't have a scene with them**


	28. Pray for Me

**Man... I don't have anything to rant about. **

**I'm excited for Man of Steel starring my dude, Henry Cavill. **

**And I'm excited for Dracula starring my dude, Jonathan Rhys Meyers. **

**Both were on Tudors which was my show for a while. **

**Oh.. and I looooooove Game of Thrones. **

**The show. Haven't read the books yet. **

**Would write a fanfic for it had the author of the books not commented on how he doesn't like fanfiction. **

**I mean, I know I can write one in the TV show category, but fuck that, I don't have to waste my thoughts, blood, sweat, and tears, countless nights tossing and turning in my bed when I have work hours later attempting to come up with acceptable material f the dude don't want me to. Dafuq I look like. **

**How can you not like fanfiction of your story? It's a form of not only releasing creativity, but improving your writing and diction. Like, you don't even see people saying.**

"**Oh, I hate when people cosplay as my characters." **

**Or.**

"**Stop making horrible fanvids of ships that will never happen." **

**But a fucker always stays dismissing fanfiction.**

**Laurell K. Hamilton – But who actually likes her shit? **

**Anne Rice – Which is fucked up because she revolutionized vampires. Who doesn't want to read about Lestat written in a language that's easy to comprehend because goddammit Rice's writing can go over my head. **

**I'd love to be published and read fanfiction of my characters. I'd probs cry for the joy of it all. **

**And yes, I get that George R.R. Martin doesn't allow fanfiction because of the legality of it all, but still, fucketh that. **

**I wrote all of this to say. **

**Jon Snow is my booski, forreals. **

**Chapter 28 – Pray for Me**

Snow avalanched upon Mystic Falls, making it hard for even the likes of Stefan to see through. White tufts of precipitation varying in shape attacked the town at all sides. It was odd, Virginia never received this much snow, but this very Winter seemed to defy all counts of logic.

Stefan smiled once he finally found Elena. She was all alone and pathetic, walking along the hollow streets of Mystic Square in search for purpose. She reeked of regret and loneliness. The once dazzling gleam in her eyes cindered to a dull and empty gaze. Vibrant, enviable olive skin now became sunken and lackluster as if she were sleep deprived.

A bit of joy did seem to find her once she locked eyes with Stefan This had been their first meeting since all her secrets became known.

"You turned it off," she gasped, slender fingers clasping over chapped lips. All that happiness flickered out. "You turned your humanity off."

Was it that obvious? She knew instantaneously.

"And you slept with my brother while you and I were still together." Saying it aloud took more strength than what Stefan fathomed. He'd come to accept it, he'd come to terms that everything he and the woman before him shared was a delusion, but breathing it to life still ate at him. "Now what?"

"Now what? We have to get you help." Clearing her throat, Elena puffed out her chest slightly. Stefan grimaced. She clearly didn't understand where they stood. "_I _have to help you."

"I've been helped plenty," he said, wrists still burning from those tight shackles. "Do you know where I've been these past four days? Were you even curious?"

"Of course I was curious, I thought you left town."

"I was agonizing and withering away in a cell meant for the likes of my brother. Nothing to eat, no one to talk to, nothing to keep me sane but the thought of you."

Cocking her head to the side, a slight confusion grasping her brows as she raised them, Elena squinted her eyes. "Then why don't you want my help?"

"Because those thoughts were of driving a stake through your cold, black heart."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm going to kill you, Elena." No words tasted better against his lips. No thoughts stirred emotions in him quite as fervently. He already had a taste of Lea, though he was craving more, but he could always pick up on that game of cat and mouse another day. Stefan was going to make this last. "I'm going to tear you afuckingpart bit by beautiful bit. Excruciatingly so. You will be a masterpiece meant for the likes of art galleries when I'm done."

"How could you say that?" Tears stung Elena's eyes that now were beginning to redden. God, he hadn't even done anything yet. "After all we-"

"Don't. Don't guilt trip me, it won't work in your favor." He brushed against her, smiling as she didn't back away. She was dumb to think she could put up a fight. Maybe she was still in denial over it being him who wanted her dead. Smoothing away the hair that clung to her cheeks dampened with melted snow, Stefan enjoyed the final moments left of Elena's life. "Have we forgotten already that it was you who brought this upon yourself."

"Spoken like a true psychopath."

"Says the slut."

Elena's hand reached out to slap him. Her open palm flew to his face ready to strike him down, but it never landed against his cheek. Stefan had her frail wrist beneath his grasp before her assault connected.

"Temper, temper. You need to watch that." Stefan applied more pressure to her wrist. He could've snapped her hand off as easily as clicking a pen top if he wanted to. "Wouldn't want to disappoint Mommy and Daddy. They did die for you after all."

Stefan could feel Elena's heart break as his words drowned her. Every resolute fiber in her disintegrated and the waterworks finally began. Good. Now she knew what she put him through. She finally could understand what it was like for someone you loved unconditionally to become unrecognizable before their eyes. And now she could finally understand the finality and painfulness of death.

"You're a monster," she sobbed. "You're worse than before."

"Oh come on now," he said. "I was talking about Isobel and John. No one even mentioned your adopted parents."

"You've never laid a finger on-"

Stefan pulled off what Elena was unsuccessful to. The back of his free hand impacted against her cheek hard enough to leave a bruise. A jolt of exhilaration surged through him at the feel. He wanted to do it again and again and again.

"Now I've laid four _and _a thumb on you. Next."

She looked at him stunned. Her eyes petrified at who she saw. And Stefan didn't give a damn.

"And no, we can't work it out. I'm done listening to you babble. It's annoying and painful." Pulling her into him, Stefan rested a hand on Elena's waist. To any onlookers it would've seemed like the pair were in the midst of a waltz. "Ready to die now, sweetheart?"

"Damon! Don't!"

Of course an interruption would take place at a time like this. Didn't they always?

Stopping himself from beginning what was Elena's death, Stefan caught the eyes of both Lea and Damon. They weren't too far away, maybe a few yards give or take, but even through the onslaught of snow he could make out both of their expressions. Lea of course was concerned, wasn't she always, but it was Damon that was seething with anger. Big bro wanted to fight and Stefan had no problems with giving him one.

"Looks like the entire party is all here. You guys have arrived in time too," Stefan laughed. "I was just about to kill Elena."

"Damon, help," Elena cried, trying to escape from the mad man clenching her tight to no avail. "He's going to kill me."

Snarling, Stefan grunted. "Didn't I just say that?"

Tugging at Damon's leather jacket, keeping him close to her, Lea shook her head. "No one's killing anyone."

"Want to bet?" Damon sneered. If he really wanted to fight, a human girl couldn't have stopped him.

"Leaaaa," Stefan drawled, eyeing the distraught blonde. "You know we have lots of catching up to do."

"You're so going back into that cell. And I'm going to make it fifty bagillion times worse."

"Fine by me. Just let me kill her first."

Stefan threw Elena to the ground. His hand grabbed the ends of her hair and wound it around his clenched fist. He yanked carelessly against it, a rip resonating in the air as he most likely tore out some of her precious locks. Her nails dug into his arms whilst she tried prying herself away.

"Don't you fucking move." Stefan warned Damon as he finally broke free from Lea. Damon was going to potentially help Elena, but that was until he heard his brother's threats. Then he stopped dead in his tracks. "If either of you take one step towards Elena, I'll rip her head off in front of you all."

Elena wailed at the thought. "Please. Stop."

"Stefan if you hurt her so help me-"

"What. What will you do, Damon? Promise me an undead life of misery? You've lived up to your bargain on that. I'm repaying the favor."

"You don't want to do this, Stefan."

"I don't?" Stefan chuckled as Lea attempted to talk him out of his actions. "She's the root of all our problems, remember?"

"Christ," Lea groaned. She waved her arms frantically around her as if Stefan couldn't be reasoned with. "You don't get it at all. I'm not trying to save Elena, I'm trying to save you. What do you think's gonna happen if you kill her? What next?"

"He'll have his heart missing."

"Shut the fuck up, Damon."

Stefan hadn't planned out what his next course of action was. He knew that he wanted Elena dead. _Really_ wanted her dead. But the repercussions didn't seem to register.

Jeremy would be without a brother.

Caroline and Bonnie would miss their best friends.

And Damon would lose the only girl he probably ever loved since Katherine.

Oh well, they'd live.

"I'd feel a hell of a lot better," Stefan said.

For a moment no one said anything. They all collected snowflakes atop their heads and allowed the urgency of the situation engulf them.

"No you wouldn't." Lea continued as she sighed. "Not even turning off your humanity could keep away all the pain. You'd kill yourself sooner or later because the guilt would be too much to bear."

Stefan stiffened, loathing every bit of what Lea told him. Only because everything she told him was the truth. If he were to kill Elena, there'd be no going to back to his former self. Ever. Knowing that he took away the life of someone who filled his with happiness, albeit only if for a while, would destroy him. The only option of reprieve from the overwhelming guilt would be death.

This wasn't him. This wasn't who he was. This wasn't who he wanted to be for Lea.

He couldn't believe this, slivers of his humanity were coming back.

"I'm not going back into that cell if I let her go," he breathed, heaviness weighing on top of his shoulders, threatening to crush him.

Lea shook her head. "I won't put you back in there."

That wasn't good enough for him.

"Promise me." He was breaking right in front of them. "I can't trust you anymore."

"I promise." Lea placed both her hands over her heart. "I promise I won't put you back in that cell or any other cell."

Lowering his head in shame, Stefan freed Elena from his grasps. "You and Damon get out of here."

"Come on, Lea. You're leaving too," Damon said.

"I'll meet up with you later. I can't just leave him like this."

Wiping his hands over his face, trying to wash away all the pain and heartache, Stefan raised his head to see that both Elena and Damon were out of sight. The only one left to keep him company was Lea, who never left his side when he was in need.

"Are we still playing Stefan says?" she quipped. "Or can I move now?"

Stefan wanted to laugh at her jokes. He wanted to pretend as if nothing happened (that's what she did with Damon right?) but for the few brief seconds his emotions were turned on, he couldn't simply ignore all he did. "I can't go back to him, Lea."

Doing so only made matters worse.

"Then don't."

"How can we go back to the way things were," he said. "The things I did to you-"

"Don't even matter to me."

"And the things I said-"

"Can't remember them." She reached for him, but her hand went back to her side after witnessing his flinch. "I missed you."

"I wouldn't know how to fix this." He was a hopeless cause. Stefan wanted to keep his emotions on for Lea and himself, but he didn't think he could take it. "I wouldn't know where to begin."

"Well," she inhaled. "You could start by telling me who let you out."

**C . H . G . F**

**Tried to make it purely Elena and Stefan, that got boring really quickly. Elena is such a snore when I write her. My apologies. **

**Question: What are you all watching now that VD is out? **

**Sherlock? Dr. Who? Hannibal? The dreaded Teen Wolf? **

**Me? I'm about to dive head first into Season Three of Game of Thrones and (not so) anxiously wait for True Blood to begin. **

**Next Chapter: Lea and the Mikaelsons. **


	29. Dude, Klaus Still Has a Lisp?

**Over the course of this story there has been one piece of advice that is pretty much the consensus of everyone.**

**Less Elena. More Damon/Lea/Stefan love triangle. **

**And as much as I'd love to do that, as much as I hate writing the Elena chapters possibly as much as you all hate reading them, I can't get rid of her. She's a part of what this story is. Without Elena none of the events would be happening. Getting rid of her, especially 28 chapters in, just doesn't feel right to me. Especially since this story is over in like seven chapters. =/**

**B.T.W.**

**Thank you everyone for all the love and support you've given both to me and this story. Still surprised it got over 100 reviews. I know I may not be able to PM everyone or properly show my gratitude, but I am very very grateful. **

**Love, huggles, Season 1 Damon, Stefan from any season, and Season 3 Klaus for everyone! **

**Chapter 29 – Dude, Klaus Still Has a Lisp?**

"You let Stefan free. Why?"

Kol's mangled body slumped against a wall. Blood trickled down his face, adorning his porcelain skin like war paint. His chest heaved as he fought a battle to keep consciousness. But I have to give it to the poor bloke, he didn't tap out. We'd been going at in the Mikaelson home for at least half an hour and he took everything I put him through with a smile on his face.

"Because what fun is a bull unless you unleash him on a China shop?" Spitting a glob of crimson mucous to the ground, he wiped his mouth with the back of his sleeve. "Where's your sister, Angel? The last I saw of her she was but a kitten on my lap, purring whilst I drank from her."

The Mikaelsons just weren't gonna stop with the sister low blows. That not too long ago she couldn't resist them and was one of their Original groupies or whatever corny ass thing they called it. I always knew Kol was the one Liv liked the most though. That idiot.

I dipped my fingers in the crimson puddles pooling at Kol's feet, soaking them in the sanguine liquid until it freely drizzled from them. Quickly, I drew a sigil on the open palm of my free hand, murmuring a vodoun incantation just to make sure the bastard payed for his remarks.

"Must you be so crass, Kol?"

The measured footsteps of Elijah resounded through the manor as he stepped on broken bits of glass and collectibles. He glanced over the destruction Kol and I caused with dismay – like we were both reckless pets rather than people.

Nodding over to me, Kol grit. "She started it."

"Really, because I could've sworn you declared war when you let Stefan out."

And here I was thinking it was Elena or even Klaus. But for Kol to do it didn't make sense. But that was probably the beauty in all of it for him – he did it just because he could. Just to stir up trouble.

"Aaliyah," Elijah sighed. "While I know my insufferable brother doesn't deserve your mercy, may you be so kind as to release him."

Nope. Wasn't gonna happen.

"Three more seconds," I bargained.

If I squinted my eyes hard enough or taken out a magnifying glass, I think I could've seen Elijah smile. "Let's make it an even ten."

I slowly balled my hand with the sigil drawn on it, making sure to extract as much pain from Kol as I could. He dropped to the floor, rolling in writhing in his own blood as horrendous screams ripped from his throat. These were the type of screams that kept you awake at night as you tried to sleep. The kind that haunted you for years and years to come and you never spoke about it.

He tore his shirt to shreds and his nails sunk into his chest. Flesh and sinew tore away as easily as tissue paper. I wanted to turn my head away from the sight of Kol trying to extract his own heart, but I had to remain composed and firm. The Mikaelsons could sniff out weakness better than a hound could a rabbit.

Elijah placed a firm hand on my shoulder and I released my balled fist. A breath of life shot into Kol's body as he gasped for air. Closing his eyes, he heaved sighs of relief as the pain subsided.

"Now Kol, go play somewhere else."

Stepping over his brother's body, Elijah casually walked from the parlor to the kitchen. He beckoned for me to join him and as effortlessly as a soldier does his commander, I followed him. Elijah was always a man of little words – which was funny because Kol couldn't keep his trap shut – but he was just as scary as the other Mikaelsons if not even more terrifying. I wouldn't dare pull what I just did to Kol with him. He required more careful thought and strategy.

"What brings you to this sham of an abode." Scooting out a chair placed at the kitchen's island for me, Elijah escorted me to my seat like a gentleman. He filled a brass tea kettle with water, sitting it atop the stove.

"You already put an end to part one which was kicking Kol's ass."

"I heard about your little 'pest control' problem. Kol failed to mention to me however, that he aided in setting the varmint free."

All code word for Stefan and his woes.

"Yeah, didn't expect it to be Kol."

"Honestly, I most likely would've done the same."

Why would Elijah admit to that? Especially after seeing what I'd just done to his brother. Was he so sure he could take me down or was he simply indifferent and was going to speak his mind regardless.

"Because all Mikaelsons are assholes," I sneered, speaking nothing but facts. "And here I thought we were cool."

That elicited a laugh from him. One that was mocking, making me feel small and beneath him. I sunk a little harder in my chair. "Now what would've ever given you that impression?"

"You were the one who told me about your brothers snacking on my sister."

"I only did so because Liv was beginning to overstay her welcome. Her blood stained a very antique Persian rug." He sat a really pretty tea cup on a saucer before me. It was porcelain with perfectly painted pastel pink flowers detailing it. Inside sat a little baggy filled with herbs that gave off a slight spiced scent. "It was expensive."

"Do you want to fight? Because you're talking like you want to fight."

"I'm in no mood to get blood on my suit."

"Didn't think so."

"I was talking about yours." I had a remark coming for that son of a bitch, but with perfect timing, the teapot wailed a high pitched cry and Elijah became more concerned with creating the perfect cup of tea than our bickering. "You failed to mention what you second reason for coming here was."

"It was to ask you to compel Stefan to turn and keep his humanity on." No reason beating around the bush about it. "But I didn't know you and I weren't on good terms so I'm guessing your answer would be a no."

"Do you not trust him to do so on his own?"

"I trust him. I just don't want a relapse."

Did that make me a shitty friend? I couldn't let Stefan know this because he'd go out of his way to stop me. But this was for his own good and it was the easiest solution. Every night I stayed up looking for a cure was another night Stefan could've potentially killed someone or done irreversible damage. The way I saw it was that the Mikaelsons could compel vampires so what better way to permanently stop it all than compulsion?

"Either way, you'd be correct to assume that my answer would be no," he said. "Milk or sugar?"

I was hopeless then. If Elijah couldn't help me then we were all fucked. "I think I'll just go now. Thanks for shit."

"I'll prepare yours the way I enjoy mine then," he mumbled to himself, splashing milk into my cup before adding the scalding water and two lumps of sugar. "Perhaps Klaus would be a more suitable option. You both have a fondness for each other correct?"

No. Wasn't gonna happen. Ever in life.

"If fondness means a pure and undeniable hatred then sure, let's go with that."

"Either way, I'm sure he'll be ecstatic to hear the news."

Which was why I wasn't going to even speak to that bastard child.

"No. I'm not going to him for help."

"And chance the ripper going back into relapse? Most likely for good? Hmmm." Sitting across from me, Elijah now prepared his own cup. "All because of your refusal to set aside your pride and ego. With friends like you, who needs enemies?"

He was attempting to guilt trip me. I saw his manipulation for what it was and yet it was still working. If Klaus was the only way to get Stefan back to the way he was and I didn't ask him for help it would've only been because I was too stubborn and hardheaded. Which made me an even shittier friend than before.

I took a sip of the tea, immediately regretting my decisions as my tongue was doused in flames. Like someone had taken a meat cleaver and chopped off just the tip. I opened my mouth, the ocean of liquid still in there as my throat decided to clench shut and not accept anything to drink. "Hot, hot, hot."

"Fool," he laughed. "Were you expecting something different?"

I finally gulped it down. "You all drink this? That was shitty as fuck."

"Are the vulgarities necessary?"

"Do you not fucking think so?"

"You have an extraordinary potential to be something great, Aaliyah," he said, scooting my tea over to his side of the counter for himself. "Perhaps when you start to act more like a lady and less like a beast you'll achieve it."

Ten points for Elijah. That was stung a bit.

"Now run along and go talk to Niklaus."

"I'm not striking a deal with that fuckerlord."

"That's your decision to bear. All I'm simply saying is that maybe you should weigh out your options. Because if you don't save the poor fool, Kol will surely have fun with him."

God fucking dammit.

. . .

Never in my life did I think I'd be willingly going into Klaus' bedroom.

I sulked inside, not bothering to knock or be courteous. Klaus was a hybrid, I'm sure he heard my footsteps approaching.

Cover my nose so I didn't get dizzy, the overbearing fumes of wet paint filled his room. There sat a canvas in front of a lonely, freshly made bed. Between the two stood the asshole I was looking for.

"I heard of your little predicament," Klaus taunted, voice sweeping across the sea of furniture separating us. "How've you been managing, my sweet?"

Tickled and bemused was his tone. He had to have found my situation hilarious. Klaus and I never got along. How could we? He, along with Katherine, was the biggest reason why everyone's life in Mystic Falls was shit. Sure, Elena played a fair share in it all, but she didn't willingly set out to destroy what little joy we all had. Klaus was a little shit and knew it.

"I'm just swell," I forced out instead of all the spells that were itching against my lips.

"Really," he asked as if he couldn't believe it. "Is that why you look a bloodied mess?"

I'd almost forgotten how grungy and dirtied I was. Blood, some of it Kol's, some of it mine, was dried and caked against my skin. I'd sweated out my hair and it was a blonde puffy mess that looked more befitting for a crackhead than myself. My tattered and torn clothes were barely wearable. Had I been walking down the street someone would've called the cops on me.

"Kol and I were just playing."

"I heard." He dipped a paint brush into murky water, swishing it around a few times before he went back to crafting his latest piece of art. "Figure out the method you wish to implement when you ask me to help you? I've been anxiously awaiting this day for weeks now."

I staggered away, gripping a nearby dresser just to not give into my rubber-like legs and collapse. Swearing to myself, I lowered my head in shame. "You know."

It was stupid of me to have forgotten that Klaus made it a point to know every little detail that went on in 'his city'. What we were all going through was but a play and he had house seats.

"Well don't look so glum about it," he chided. "This is supposed to be a joyous occasion. You get your beloved Stefan back."

Gripping my stomach, the reality of my situation was really beginning to sink in. I was about to barter with Klaus for Stefan's freedom. This was really happening to me.

If Rebekah hadn't fucking left the country this wouldn't have been happening. Wanderlust, lovelorn imbecile.

"This is all so Faustian, don't you agree." He revealed himself from behind the canvas. His blue eyes twinkled with glee and his dimpled smile couldn't have been any harder. "What with you making a deal with the Devil and all."

I just wanted this to be over with.

"Name your price."

Fingers stained black-as-death from paint, he traced my face as if I were his most prized possession. I flinched away from the psychopath, not sure what was rummaging through his mind. And I wasn't so sure if I wanted to find out.

"Aaliyah, you and I both know what my price is," he whispered.

"You want me to fuck you?" I blurted out, sounding like a goose giving birth.

It was his turn to stagger backwards, withdrawing himself from me with horrified eyes.

For a few seconds we just stood there, not knowing exactly what was going on or who we were dealing with. The seconds collided and stacked like a five car pile up as the awkward tension made everything so much worse.

Klaus was a good one. He was better than me and took a chisel to the silence. I wasn't gonna say another word.

"That's rape, love."

Oh thank god the answer was no. "Just making sure we're on the same page of the same book here."

"I'm going to revert back to our previous conversation if that's okay with you." He blinked, forehead scrunching as his eyebrows made their way to the ceiling. "I'd like you to be on my team."

"Which would make me no better than your mangy hybrids, right? I'd be your slave." That was better than sleeping with him. That put everything in perspective for me.

"You make it sound so dreadful. I'd treat you far better than I do those dimwits, you know that. And I promise, there will be nothing too far-fetched at my behest."

That was a lie. Klaus was going to send me to hell and back because he had the power to. And I probably wasn't going to survive by the end of it.

"I'm only doing this for Stefan."

He gave an all knowing smirk. "Because you love him."

"Pump the breaks, Dr. Lecter, you've gone mad."

"I like the thought of you both as a couple. You suit each other quite nicely."

"Stop that. I don't love anyone."

"Sure you do," he teased. "Stefan was in a very similar situation to this not too long ago and-"

"Yeah. When you made him a ripper just because you needed a friend. You dangled Damon's life in front of him and he made the choice to be someone he hated just to save his brother."

So I could only assume that Klaus was going to put me through some horrible shit. Hell, Stefan was his bro back in the day and he made him a monster, I knew I ain't have shit coming.

"It was love that made Stefan make that decision and it's love that's driving you to make yours." He still insisted Stefan and I were more than meets the eye. "Does Damon know?"

"You're really into my love life aren't you."

Hell no Damon didn't know. He'd flip his shit if he did.

Fidgeting like a child who was in time out, Klaus pouted just a tad. "You seem in desperate need of a friend and I have two useful ears that don't mind listening."

He was just being nosy. Klaus and friends didn't mix like grape and orange koolaid.

"Listen to this, compel Stefan to turn and keep his humanity on and you'll have me on your team for a year."

"No deal. As long as Stefan's humanity is on, that's how long you're with me."

Until I fucking died? "No deal."

"That's my final offer and this is a nonreturnable sale." He shrugged. "Or you could take your business elsewhere."

"You're only doing this because I'm desperate."

"Can't disagree with you there."

"If you double cross me, I'll kill you."

"Same here."

Before I knew it my hand was clasped with his as everything was set in stone. I was a part of team Niklaus and the worst thing about it was that I couldn't let anyone know about it. I had just gotten Stefan out of his mess but put myself into one even worse. But it was worth it and I'd do it over if I had to.

Groaning, the words I forced out my mouth were tough to get out. It left a vile aftertaste that made my stomach sick. "Let's do this."

**C . B . D**

**Couldn't decide which brother you'd all want to see her interact with so I chose all three. **

**Hope you liked it and that it was worth the wait.**

**Question: Should Lea have made that deal? **

**Next Chapter: Lea and Stefan who just got back his humanity. **


	30. Two Hugs In One Day!

**I didn't know whose POV to write this in. Just chose Lea's. **

**Chapter 30 – Two Hugs In One Day! **

"You really do suck at this."

"Shut up." Gripping the nintendo controller so tightly my palm was beginning to sweat, I tried my hardest to ignore Stefan's taunts. I instead focused on keeping Luigi as safe as possible. That meant dodging goombas, koopa troopas, and that one heinous motherfucker that floated on a cloud. "Oooh shit, flowa powa like a baus."

Stretching out his arms, the muscles in Stefan's arms flexed as reached upward. Man he was fit. Stefan had the type of arms that made a woman feel safe and sound when he held you. How did he have the time to get them? "You need all the help you can get."

I knew deciding to play Super Mario Bros 3. with him was a bad idea. I forgot just how uppity he was when he was good at things. "I'm great at this."

He still insisted otherwise. "How many lives do I have?"

I jerked my hand upwards, button mashing as I made Luigi jump. "I'm busy right now."

"I have forty-nine lives. Forty nine compared to your-"

"Son of a bitch!" I growled, watching as Luigi swan-dived between two gaps to his death. Dean Winchester and Batman both would've been proud at how great my gravelly voice was.

"That takes you down to how many lives?"

My hands folded defiantly over each other and stuck my nose high into the air. I didn't have to take this and I wasn't going to answer his stupid chastising question. "Go away."

Glaring out the corner of my eye, I caught Stefan's smile. Despite all my wishes a grin of my own bloomed because of him. He was back to normal without any hangups and I missed him. My deal with Klaus was worth it.

"You're..." He wagged his finger at me, a thick eyebrow quirking. "You're kicking me out of my own room?"

"Indeed I am, Mini-Angelus," I said. "Such is the price to bear for mocking my incredible Mario skills."

He snatched the controller from my hands, scooting a bit closer to me at the edge of his bed. "First Stonehenge, now Mini-Angelus?" His tone was tempting and soft, each word nothing short of a lengthy exhale dripping from his lips. My gaze connected with his gorgeous sage eyes that were filled with the warmth and happiness I strived so hard to have returned. "Is that any way to treat a recovering ripper?"

He didn't seem to notice that everything was fine with him all of a sudden. That his cravings were gone and his rude tendencies withered.

"You thought you were going to get special treatment?" I laughed in his face, ignoring my pulse slowly beginning to quicken. He must've not have noticed just how close he was to me now. Or the fact that one of his hands was resting on my thigh. "Y-you were wrong."

"I owe you so much." Stefan's head fell to my shoulder. He slid even more my way, repositioning himself as he nestled into my embrace. Right when I thought he was going to kiss me, he offered me something so much better. Affection and intimacy. He made me feel validated - like a person, not a trophy meant to be won. An actual person worthy of being loved. "I owe you everything." His finger pressed lightly into my waist as he held onto me.

I was glad Stefan couldn't see me, because if he saw how my mouth spoke silent words as I tried to find the right thing to say, he would've thought I was a moron. "Are you back with Elena yet?"

Good fucking job, Lea. What a great thing to say.

"I don't care about her," he murmured into my neck and I was sure he could feel my heart as it splattered into putty. "I didn't lie to you when I said she and I were over. I want you."

A sigh trembled out of me and my eyes fluttered close. A wave of excitement and anxiety rocked inside of me. Words failed to be spoken as my brain was pulverized to mush. I couldn't believe it. I'd been waiting to hear those very words for so very long that I'd given up hope on ever listening to them be uttered.

The kicker was that it wasn't even from the brother I dreamt of it coming from.

"Look at this lovey dovey reunion."

I jumped off Stefan, nearly jerking out of my skin as Damon joined in on our conversation. He stood at the doorway, droplets of water dripping down the carefully carved pathways that made up his lithe body. The traveled along deliciously crafted abs and slid down to heaven on earth, which just so happened to be wickedly covered by black unbuttoned jeans. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything."

Stefan cleared his throat. "Yes you do. Otherwise you would've put on actual clothes."

I didn't mind the sight.

"What? Not fair, baby bro," Damon said. "Had I known Lea was here I would've dressed more appropriately. But I don't think she cares. Do you, Lea?"

I pathetically raised my arms up to my sides. "Do what you want."

"See." Damon smirked. "She likes me like this."

Stefan shook his head. "Well I don't, get out of my room."

"Wow, I can't even tell you that I'm happy you're A-okay can I?"

"But you're not so why even bother wasting any of our time?"

"You must really think I'm a dick."

"You don't really give me any other option."

"You're my brother, I don't want you lashing out and eating humans like cheetos anymore than you do. I glad to see you're back to the strict no-people-all-rodent diet."

Yeah, this was taking a turn for the worst.

"You should go, Damon," I shooed him away. "This is a drama free-zone."

He ignored my warnings and began to walk along thin ice. "How is it that you went back to your good boy ways so effortlessly? That's the question that begs asking."

I bit my lip, arms cradling myself as I ingested Damon's words. He noticed how Stefan's recovery wasn't a gradual incline but a quick one-eighty. I hoped he wouldn't, but he did.

That meant he was going to find out my little secret and blow a gasket.

"I don't know," Stefan said, throwing an arm around me. "I think it had something to do with Lea."

"I'm sure she did." Damon nodded. His eyes no longer burning holes into Stefan as I became his new target. "Do mind me stealing her for a second?"

"At least this time you're asking to take something of mine."

"Last time I checked, this one belonged to me."

"How about we stop with the objectifying me game." Groaning, I stood to my feet. "Damon, you want to talk, fine. Let's talk."

Leading the way, Damon decided to take me into _his _bedroom which was far different than his brother's. Stefan's felt like an actual room, one with clutter and clothes scattered every which way. Damon's was more like something you'd expect to see in a five star hotel that only A-listers could afford. Expensive paintings, a balcony all to himself, an amazing bathroom that was bigger than my own bedroom, and don't get me started on his bed that looked like it could fit the Dallas Cowgirls in it. What his room lacked in warmth, it made up in style.

"So you made your choice. You want Stefan."

He slammed his hand against a wall, unleashing all the built up rage that brewed inside him. He couldn't even look at me. Instead, Damon e stomped along wooden floors, constantly clenching and unclenching his fist as he looked for his next punching bag. His ragged breathing was the only thing keeping us from being engulfed in silence.

"Damon," I peeped. "I didn't choose anyone."

"But you did," he spat. "Because you went and did something fucking stupid just so you could have your precious fucking Stefan back. I know you did."

But he didn't know for sure, so that meant I had to lie to him. I didn't want to, but it was a wound that still needed to bandaid. I couldn't rip it off.

"I didn't do anything."

"Yes you fucking did." Closing his eyes, Damon rested his fists against them like he had one terrible migraine. "You're a carbon copy of me and had Elena been Stefan's situation, I would've done something dumb just to save her."

Just when we were getting along it had to be ruined.

"Right, you'd do something stupid to save Elena, but not me. Seems as if someone in the room has made a choice and it's not me."

"You're so stupid." Yanking me over to his side, he ignored my yelp. Heat radiated off him, making me squirm and try to get away. I didn't want to groan in pain, but the pressure he was putting on me was just a little too much to handle. "Why do you have to make everything about goddamn Elena? I'm going to have to save you, Lea, because who else can get you out of whatever mess you've conjured? You don't want me to know so I'm sure Stefan hasn't a clue as to what dirty voodoo you've done. You could've sold your soul for all I know and I don't care. I'm your only hope and I'm getting you out of this."

I wanted to tell Damon so badly the horrible deal that I'd made, but who knew what would've happened once the cat was out of the bag? Part of my deal with Klaus was not double crossing him and that meant not telling a soul about my predicament. If he ever found out that I told Damon what I'd done, and there was no doubt in my mind that Klaus would've, he'd kill me and most likely make Stefan be the one to it.

I had to keep my mouth shut.

"So you're mad at me because you're going to have to do something stupid to save from from the stupid thing you think I did that I didn't even do?"

"I'm mad because I've lost you," he sighed, giving up. "And I'm the one to blame."

"How could you have lost me? I'm right here." I grinned, trying to remedy the situation we were all in. We were fucked, man, and it was all because of these damn secrets that we had no business hiding. Why I hadn't learned my lesson? I was still keeping things away from everyone. Valuable things they deserved to know. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

It was his turn to pull me into a hug, though this one was far different from the one Stefan and I shared. I could feel Damon's desperation as he clung to me like he were drowning and I was his safety ring. He gripped at my clothes, pulling me tightly against him and I couldn't help but hug him back.

I was scared – terrified of what the future was going to bring me. But with Damon's arms around me, letting me know that I was safe with him, all my worries slightly lessened. The same was I was Stefan's rock during his ripper battles, Damon would be mine.

"I'm not letting anything happen to you," he promised. "You'll be fine."

Hopefully. If Klaus wanted me to be.

**C . B . D**

**Here's the predicament we all are in...**

**People don't want Elena anymore. **

**To please the people, I have done just that. I've taken out Elena. POOF. Gonezo. After next chapter, we will see her no more because of the complaints.**

**The drawback...**

**That cut this story down from seven chapters, to maybe three. Give or take. Because I don't want to write random Lemon or Lefan scenes just for the hell of it. I don't want this story exceeding 100k words and overstay its welcome. **

**Next topic to discuss. **

**Sequellllls. **

**I don't mind writing one. I know I'm starting my True Blood sequel soon, but I love writing Lea so I'm not against it. Can't spoil too much on what it would be about, but I'm thinking it will have Katherine in it somewhere, because man, I have never written her and I'd love exploring Katherine and Lea's dynamic. **

**I'm going to start doing secrets at the end of each chapter now. These secrets have nothing to do with how the story will be, but are just little pieces of information on how the story could've been. Or things you may have not known. **

**Secret: This story was originally going to be a love square with Lea, the Salvatores, and Katherine. Then it became Lea, the Salvatores, and her sister Liv but I decided against it because it was too much sibling on sibling for my taste. **

**Question: Since the end is nigh, I have quite a few questions to ask. **

**Who should Lea end up with? **

**How do you think the story should end? **

**What would you want to see in the sequel? **

**Feel free to answer or skip. **

**Next Chapter: Stelena. **


End file.
